Overall, Antarctica lost approximately 12,800 sq km of grounded ice between 1996 and 2025 and researchers have identified that destabilisation of Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica as a factor for sudden decline since 2015. 

• Destabilisation happened due to a combination of deep ocean heat, powerful winds and a self-reinforcing feedback loop. 
  • Deep Ocean Heat: Southern Ocean was strongly layered – with cold fresh water sitting on top of warmer, saltier water below – stopping the heat from reaching surface. That barrier weakened by 2015. 
  • Powerful Winds: Stronger Westerly winds (strengthened due to ozone hole and GHG emissions) acted like a pump, gradually drawing warm, salty deep water closer to the surface.
  • Reinforcing Feedback loop: The then rising deep water brings heat and salt to the surface. 
    • The heat melts sea ice, while the extra salt makes the surface waters denser and easier to mix with warmer waters below. That allows even more heat to rise upwards, making it harder for new sea ice to form, and so on.