May 21, 2024

Meltdown in Greenland: Ice Shelves Lose Over a Third of Their Volume

Referral: “Rapid disintegration and weakening of ice shelves in North Greenland” by R. Millan, E. Jager, J. Mouginot, M. H. Wood, S. H. Larsen, P. Mathiot, N. C. Jourdain and A. Bjørk, 7 November 2023, Nature Communications.DOI: 10.1038/ s41467-023-42198-2.

These outcomes were obtained utilizing field observations, aerial photography, and satellite information, combined with local climate designs.
Notes

Scientist expose that North Greenlands ice shelves have lost over one-third of their volume since 1978, generally due to rising ocean temperature levels. This loss threatens their role as natural barriers against ice discharge into the ocean, possibly accelerating sea level increase.
A new research study shows the biggest drifting ice racks in North Greenland have actually lost more than a 3rd of their volume since 1978, mainly due to warming ocean temperature levels. This melting postures a danger to their essential function in limiting ice flow into the ocean, impacting sea level rise.
The largest floating ice racks in the polar ice sheet have lost more than a third of their volume given that 1978. In a research study published on November 7 in the journal Nature Communications, researchers from the CNRS, [1] along with their American and danish associates, have actually developed that many of this thinning is because of the rise in surrounding ocean temperature levels, which triggers the glaciers drifting extensions to melt. Till now, the glaciers in this region were thought about to be stable, unlike more delicate locations of the polar ice cap, which started to weaken in the mid-1980s.
The Zachariæ Isstrøm glacier in 2016, releasing a number of kilometer-long icebergs into the ocean. The melting of platforms in North Greenland could make a significant contribution to increasing water level. Credit: © Romain Millan
Found in North Greenland, these ice racks play an important role in managing the quantity of ice discharged into the ocean by acting as huge frozen “dams.” Although Greenland is currently accountable for 17% of the existing increase in water level, any weakening of these barriers could result in a boost in the amount of ice launched, speeding up further rises in the water level.

The biggest floating ice racks in the polar ice sheet have actually lost more than a third of their volume given that 1978. Until now, the glaciers in this area were thought about to be stable, unlike more sensitive areas of the polar ice cap, which began to weaken in the mid-1980s.
The melting of platforms in North Greenland might make a substantial contribution to rising sea levels.

Operating at the Institut des géosciences de lenvironnement (CNRS/Universit é Grenoble Alpes/IRD/Inrae/ Grenoble INP).