The research study, which was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, said Greenlands glaciers have actually lost at least 587 km3 of ice over the last century, representing 1.38 millimeters of sea-level increase.
It estimated that the speed at which the water melted between 2000 and 2019 was 3 times greater than the long-lasting– since 1900– typical.
Lead author, Dr. Jonathan L. Carrivick from the School of Geography at the University of Leeds, stated: “The impact of meltwater overflow from Greenland into the North Atlantic extends beyond global sea-level rise, affecting North Atlantic ocean blood circulation, European climate patterns, and Greenlandic fjord water quality and marine ecosystems.
” This has immense ramifications on people too, with these glacier changes having a direct effect on the economic activities of mining, hydropower, and fishing, as well as affecting individualss health and habits.”
Near Jungersen Gletschur in Greenland. The white lines reveal where scientists think the glacier edges were in 1900. Credit: Bob Elberling.
Greenlands glaciers and ice caps rank as the second-largest source of meltwater, after Alaska.
Co-author, Dr. Clare Boston from the School of the Environment, Geography, and Geosciences at the University of Portsmouth, stated: “Previous research utilizing satellite information recommends Greenlands glaciers and ice caps might lose in between 19 percent and 28 percent of their volume by 2100.
” These predictions only use information gathered from the past couple of decades, whereas our research study supplies standard data from more than 100 years earlier. Seeing how glaciers have actually evolved over a longer period of time, can give us a better chance of forecasting how theyll change in the future.
” Its also crucial to note, that we just looked at glaciers and ice caps that were at least 1 km2 in area, so the overall amount of ice that has actually melted would be even more than our forecasts if you take into consideration the smaller sized ones.”
The paper stresses the significance of understanding these modifications in the context of worldwide sea-level increase.
The research likewise stresses the complicated nature of glacier evolution due to substantial distinctions in locations, temperatures, and the influence of local and regional factors.
Glaciers in the North have actually experienced the biggest accelerate in rate of mass loss compared to other areas. Glaciers ending in lakes have increased the most in their rate of mass loss.
Dr. Carrivick added: “This research study contributes fantastic spatial protection, spatial resolution, and temporal information to our understanding of Greenlands glacier changes, providing an important resource for policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders concerned with environment change and its impacts.
” It represents a crucial action towards deciphering the characteristics of Greenlands glaciers and their function in worldwide environment change, as the world faces the challenges positioned by a warming Arctic.”
Recommendation: “Mass Loss of Glaciers and Ice Caps Across Greenland Since the Little Ice Age” by Jonathan L. Carrivick, Clare M. Boston, Jenna L. Sutherland, Danni Pearce, Hugo Armstrong, Anders Bjørk, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Jakob Abermann, Rachel P. Oien, Michael Grimes, William H. M. James and Mark W. Smith, 18 May 2023, Geophysical Research Letters.DOI: 10.1029/ 2023GL103950.
Scarlet Heart Glacier in Greenland. The white lines mark where scientists believe the glacier edge was at completion of the little ice age in 1900. Credit: Dr. Jonathan L. Carrivick
Research has actually discovered a substantial and constant loss of glaciers and ice caps across Greenland, beginning with the early years of the 20th century.
This investigation gives us a valuable point of view on the long-term changes to these glaciers and ice caps due to climate modification. It has actually been observed that these modifications have been responsible for roughly one-fifth of the overall worldwide sea-level rise in the previous 10 years.
By using historical data, scientists had the ability to chart the presence of 5,327 glaciers and ice caps at the conclusion of the Little Ice Age in 1900, a time marked by a significant decrease in global temperatures, reaching a drop of as much as 2 ° C. By doing this, they developed that these enormous ice bodies had broken down into 5,467 unique glaciers and ice caps by the year 2001.
Scarlet Heart Glacier in Greenland. The white lines mark where researchers believe the glacier edge was at the end of the little ice age in 1900. Near Jungersen Gletschur in Greenland. The white lines show where scientists believe the glacier edges were in 1900.