Ice sheet stabilization by draining water or bed freezing

Ice sheets and glaciers

One of the potentially most catastrophic effects of contemporary global warming would be the dramatic increase in sea levels as a result of the melting Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Even if all current emissions were immediately stopped, sea level rise could still occur because of lockedin warming (ICCI 2022).

It has been suggested that ice sheets could be stabilized by reducing the lubrication effect of water below the ice sheet. This is known to occur naturally and could be done artificially by either pumping the water out or attempting to freeze it (Wolovick and Moore 2018; Lockley et al. 2020). To freeze water, the water at the base would need to be cooled. Lockley et al. (2020) suggest this might be done through thermosyphons (see Enhancing permafrost refreezing with air pipes and Thermosyphon technologies) or refrigerants like liquid CO2 which might be captured relatively efficiently in the colder Antarctic climate (see Antarctic CO2 Capture).

Technological Readiness Level (TRL)

Low 1

This idea has not been explored seriously. Deep drilling has been done in ice sheets before, as the U.S. Amundsen–Scott South Pole Station drilled 2.5 km deep, and a Russian attempt reached a lake at 3.6 km depth (Wolovick and Moore, 2018). There would likely have to be many drilling points across the ice sheet. The ice motion would mean new holes being drilled every year, the basal hydrology will change naturally and would be also affected by the drying. The pumped out water would then also have to be disposed of, and might require treatment.

Technological Readiness Level (TRL)

A technology with a TRL of 1-3: TRL 1 – Basic; TRL 2 – Concept formulated; TRL 3 – Experimental proof of concept

Scalability

Low 1

Locating the places to drill on a moving glacier with variable basal hydrology would require extensive geophysical knowledge. Multiple holes would have to be drilled and maintained across the ice sheet, and scalability will therefore likely be limited.

Scalability

Physically unable to scale; sub-linear/logarithmic efficiency of scalability

Timeliness for near-future effects

Low 1

Timeliness for near-future effects

Implemented too late to make a significant difference

Northern + Arctic potential

Low 1

This measure is likely not able to make significant differences to ice sheet melting rates.

Northern + Arctic potential

No noticeable extra positive effect beyond the global average; technology is unsuited to the Arctic

Global potential

Low 1

Global potential

Insignificant to be detected at a global scale

Cost - benefit

High 1

Apart from material and human expenses, the drilling of the 2.5 km depths at the US station already required 450,000 liters of fuel. Like is the case with other Ice Sheet ideas, this project would therefore likely be very expensive too.

Cost - benefit

Cost of investment comparable to cost of avoided damage

Environmental risks

Medium 2

There could be multiple environmental effects, for instance related to the large amounts of fuel that would need to be transported and burnt on-site.

Environmental risks

More widespread and possibly regional impacts that extend beyond the immediate solution deployment location

Community impacts

Neutral 2

The potential to impact Greenland glaciers is likely low, and the global effects minimal.

Community impacts

Unnoticeable or negligible positive or negative effects

Ease of reversibility

Easy 3

The holes would likely freeze if discontinued.

Ease of reversibility

Easily reversible naturally

Risk of termination shock

Low 3

Although there would be low risk of termination shock, this measure would likely have to be continued once started since the drilled holes will freeze if they are not maintained. The same will be true for any basal freezing measure.

Risk of termination shock

Low or insignificant termination shock or damage

Legality/governance

Medium 2

Corbett and Parson (2022) say such intervention would currently not fit into Antarctic governance structures, but they say they are very hopeful it will adjust to include it in the future.

Legality/governance

Fits within existing structures to a certain degree, but some policy changes are needed to deploy at scale

Scientific/media attention

Low 1

This has been mentioned in several scientific articles, and also featured in the science fiction novel Ministry for the Future, by Kim Stanley Robinson (2020).

Scientific/media attention

Very low attention from individuals and/or abandoned ideas; low media attention; no commercial interest.

References

Corbett, C. R. & Parson, E. A. (2022). Radical climate adaptation in Antarctica. Ecology LQ, 49, 77. https://doi.org/10.15779/Z38BG2HB68

ICCI, 2022. State of the Cryosphere 2022 – Growing Losses, Global Impacts. International Cryosphere Climate Initiative (ICCI), Stockholm, Sweden. 60 pp. https://iccinet.org/statecryo22/

Lockley, A., Wolovick, M., Keefer, B., Gladstone, R., Zhao, L. Y., & Moore, J. C. (2020). Glacier geoengineering to address sea-level rise: A geotechnical approach. Advances in Climate Change Research, 11(4), 401-414. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.accre.2020.11.008

Wolovick, M. J., & Moore, J. C. (2018). Stopping the flood: could we use targeted geoengineering to mitigate sea level rise?. The Cryosphere, 12(9), 2955-2967. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2955-2018

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