Indian scientists working in Antarctica have discovered traces of ancient black carbon, or soot, dating back nearly 7,000 years, shedding new light on how pollution can accelerate ice melt and contribute to rising global sea levels. The discovery has significant implications for India, even though the frozen continent lies nearly 10,000 kilometres away.
Indian Scientists Study Hidden Climate Threat
Researchers from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), Goa, uncovered the black carbon in sediment cores taken from Pup Lagoon in the Larsemann Hills of East Antarctica. According to NCPOR scientist Dr Mahesh Badanal, these sediment layers act as a climate record, revealing how pollutants from forest fires thousands of kilometres away travel across continents and settle on polar ice.
Dr Badanal explained that black carbon produced by wildfires in regions such as Australia and South America can be carried by wind currents and deposited on Antarctic ice sheets, where it plays a dangerous role in accelerating ice melt.
Black carbon is one of the most powerful warming agents after carbon dioxide. Dr Badanal noted that soot absorbs solar radiation up to 100 times more effectively than carbon dioxide. When it settles on ice surfaces, it darkens them, causing the ice to absorb more heat instead of reflecting sunlight, leading to faster melting.
With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of forest fires globally, scientists warn that the presence of black carbon in polar regions could rise further, speeding up ice loss.
What Antarctica’s Ice Loss Means for India
Although Antarctica feels distant, its melting ice poses a serious threat to countries like India. Dr Badanal pointed out that Antarctica holds nearly 80 per cent of the world’s freshwater. If its ice sheets were to melt completely, global sea levels could rise by up to 180 feet.
While such a scenario is unlikely in the near future, scientific records suggest that if current warming trends continue, global sea levels could rise by around 50 centimetres over the next 50 to 60 years. This would put India’s long coastline and low-lying coastal states at high risk of flooding and displacement.
India began its Antarctic research programme in 1981 and has completed 44 scientific expeditions so far, with the 45th currently underway. Scientists believe studying polar regions is crucial because they play a major role in regulating global climate systems, including the Indian monsoon.
Dr Badanal emphasised that understanding changes in Antarctica is essential not just for scientific knowledge, but also for preparing India against future climate risks driven by rising seas and shifting weather patterns.