Antarctic Snowfall & Ice Mass Balance Explorer

Climate Science Workbench • 2021–2023 Analysis

Atmospheric & Ice Shelf Dynamic Simulator

Net Accumulation Gain
Physics Model: Warm sea surface anomalies drive atmospheric rivers toward the polar vortex, amplifying precipitation over the continental plateau. Meanwhile, marine-terminating glaciers discharge ice through calving and basal melting along the coastal edge.
SCENARIO PRESETS

Balance Controls & Mass Budget

Tropical Warmth Anomaly +1.4 °C
Higher anomalies warm low-latitude oceans and evaporate more atmospheric vapor.
Moisture Transport Rate Multiplier 1.25x
Atmospheric circulation efficiency pushing moisture over the transantarctic interior.
Annual Glacier Discharge & Calving 2155 Gt/yr
Ice lost to icebergs and basal ocean shelf melt (e.g. Thwaites & Pine Island glaciers).
NET ANNUAL MASS BALANCE
+695 Gt
Continent is storing ice, mitigating sea-level rise
Annual Snowfall 2850 Gt Surface mass accumulation
Glacier Discharge 2155 Gt Calving & sub-shelf melting
Sea Level Equivalent -1.92 mm Global ocean level impact
Equilibrium Offset +32.2 % Above baseline discharge

Antarctic Snowfall & Ice Mass Balance Explained

Read the explanation

Antarctica's ice mass balance balances snowfall accumulation against coastal glacier calving and basal melt into the ocean. Warm ocean anomalies evaporate moisture, which atmospheric rivers transport inland, scaling baseline snowfall accumulation by about seven percent per degree. At 1.4 degrees warming and 1.25 transport, snowfall reaches 3129 gigatons. Calving 2155 gigatons yields a net gain of 974 gigatons, mitigating 2.69 millimeters of sea level rise.

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