Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: NDTV
Context: Researchers have discovered that the massive Ross Ice Shelf makes sudden jumps twice a day.
- These sudden shifts, akin to tremors along earthquake faults, could weaken the Ross Ice Shelf over time, potentially accelerating ice melt rates and contributing to sea level rise.
- A sudden jump occurs when two sections of ice press against each other (rubbing creates tension), just as tectonic plates on Earth cause earthquakes.
- The research team emphasises that icequakes and fractures are natural occurrences on ice shelves.
