West Antarctica’s Vulnerability

West Antarctica is highly vulnerable to modern warming due to its delayed ice sheet formation compared to East Antarctica. The initial glaciation began in East Antarctica around 34 million years ago, while West Antarctica remained ice-free for an additional 7 million years due to its dense forests and temperate climate. The Transantarctic Mountains facilitated ice spread in the east, but West Antarctica's below sea level topography required much colder conditions for ice coverage. Today, West Antarctica's vulnerability is critical for climate models, as even slight warming can cause significant ice melt, impacting global sea levels and climate systems.