More Proof That Geologic Forces Are Melting Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers

As previously explained before, increased melting/ice loss of Antarctica’s Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers is the result of geologically induced heat flow emitted from underlying bedrock “hotspots,” not climate change (Figure 1).

All but a very minor amount of Antarctica’s glacial ice melting occurs in the western portion of this continent. The most rapid and greatest ice mass loss areas are in West Antarctica.

They are positioned directly above geographically extensive and high heat flow geological features. This association is thought to be strong evidence of a cause and effect relationship.

Discussion of evidence supporting the contention that the melting of Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers is the result of bedrock heat flow begins with a review of the regional geology (refer to Figure 1).

The Pluton Rich “hotspot” is a 61,000-thousand-square-mile area that is home to numerous high-heat-flow lava pockets that are bounded and fueled by deep earth reaching faults.

Several detailed research studies document the existence and configuration of this area. This lies along the West Antarctic Rift.

The Mount Erebus Volcanic Complex “Hotspot” is the most geologically active portion of Antarctica. It is a 25,000-square-mile high-heat-flow area, much of which is absent of glacial ice.

The absence of glacial ice across a huge portion of West Antarctica is extremely unusual and exceedingly difficult to explain by invoking global warming.

Mount Erebus is a 12,448-foot-high volcano that is currently erupting (Figure 2). It is a striking visual example of the high geological heat flow that is present across this entire volcanic complex.

Other examples of the high heat flow in this volcanic complex are as follows.

• Extensive absence of glacial ice in the McMurdo Dry Valleys.
• Warming of ocean waters in Mount Erebus Bay has led to the melting of the bays sea ice and retreat of the Nansen Glacier.
• Recently discovered subglacial river system under the McMurdo Dry Valleys Taylor Glacier that outflows at the geologically red-stained Blood Falls ( Kamis in print).

The Marie Byrd Mantle Plume “Hotspot” area encompasses 620,000 square miles. It is a highly active geological feature that has generated and still fuels 100 active or semi-active subglacial volcanoes.

Two of which are currently erupting (Loose 2017 ). Even more telling, 46 of these active subglacial volcanoes are positioned directly beneath the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers. For more detailed discussions of the Marie Byrd Mantle Plume (Kamis 2018), (Barletta 2018)

Next, let us review the local geological setting of the Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers.

Both glaciers are underlain by multiple volcanoes, eight under Pine Island, and forty under Thwaites (Figure 3).

Keeping in mind that the regional geological setting has been shown to emit high heat flow it seems logical that the volcanoes beneath Pine Island and Thwaites emit especially high heat flow that is likely of much greater magnitude.

Additionally, these two glaciers are adjacent to numerous other glaciers that are not losing thickness/melting as quickly.

This shows that the geological features beneath Pine Island and Thwaites are emitting significantly greater heat flow likely from volcanic eruptions. Differential melting of adjacent glaciers is difficult to explain by global warming processes.

The recent discovery of a currently erupting volcano beneath the Pine Island glacier is game-changing news. It is no longer correct to attribute all of these glaciers melting to atmospheric warming or warming of local ocean waters.

The Pine Island glacier valley is long narrow and very linear indicating that it was formed by deep inner earth reaching fault that highly likely taps into underlying hot lava pockets.

Lava pocket heat is transferred to the bottom of the valley floor bottom and melting the glacier.

Recent research of the Thwaites glacier discovered that exceptionally large and extensive open caves exist at the ice bedrock interface.

Therefore, decreased thickness of Thwaites glacier is not exclusively the result of surface ice melting.

Further evidence showing that melting of the Pine Island is almost certainly the result of a currently erupting. subglacial volcano and high bedrock heat flow can be seen by referring to DeSanto 2019, Loose 2017, and De Vries 2017.

Further evidence showing that melting of the Thwaites glacier is very likely the result of high geothermal heat flow can be found at DeSanto 2019, Schroeder 2014, Schroeder 2015, Kamis 2014, Kamis 2016, and Kamis 2018.

In summary, the Pine Island and so-called “Doomsday” Thwaites glaciers are melting from subglacial high-heat-flow emitted from active geological features and has nothing to do with global warming.

Failure to properly discuss and make the public aware of the presence of these features is difficult to reconcile with proper scientific methodology.

James Edward Kamis is a retired professional Geologist with 42 years of experience, a B.S. in Geology from Northern Illinois University (1973), an M.S. in geology from Idaho State University (1977), and is a longtime member of AAPG who has always been fascinated by the connection between Geology and Climate. More than 42 years of research/observation have convinced him that Geological forces, especially Earth’s Upper Mantle Convection Systems which drive the dynamics of outer crustal plates, are an important driver of the Earth’s climate as per his Plate Climatology Theory.