Antarctic ice sheet shows record growth, temporarily offsetting sea level rise

The Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) exhibited record-breaking growth between 2021 and 2023, gaining mass at a rate of 108 gigatons per year. This is a reversal from the rapid loss seen in previous years. Researchers attribute this rebound to unusual increases in precipitation, leading to snow and ice accumulation. Data from the GRACE and GRACE-FO missions revealed the AIS had been losing ice at a rate of 142 gigatons per year from 2011 to 2020. The recent mass gain temporarily offset global sea level rise by about 0.3 millimeters per year. Scientists caution that this may not signal a long-term trend.