Abstract: Tipping points in ice sheet systems have become a focal point in studying nonlinear dynamics within the coupled ice-climate system, presenting critical scientific challenges involving self-reinforcing feedbacks, critical thresholds, and irreversible responses. This review synthesizes current understanding of the fundamental mechanisms driving ice sheet tipping behavior, emphasizing how positive feedbacks can propel the system beyond stability thresholds, while negative feedbacks may buffer variability and maintain quasi-stable states. Focusing on the Greenland, West Antarctic, and East Antarctic ice sheets, we assess their distinct evolutionary trajectories, dynamic regimes, and responses to external forcing, highlighting the regulatory roles of bed topography, ice-ocean interactions, and the propagation of localized disturbances. Incorporating recent insights into system coupling and cascading tipping dynamics, we further examine the risk of compound tipping events and cross-system amplifications. Key sources of uncertainty in numerical modeling—ranging from poorly constrained boundary conditions to incomplete process representations—are identified systematically, along with strategies for their reduction. We conclude by outlining priority directions for enhancing observation–model integration and underscore the need for robust tipping point detection and early warning frameworks. This review aims to advance the theoretical basis and predictive capacity for assessing ice sheet stability and associated risks under future climate scenarios.

Key words: Ice sheet tipping point, Irreversibility, System coupling, Antarctic ice sheet, Greenland ice sheet