A recent study using ICESat-2 data found that Arctic sea ice has lost 16% of its winter volume in just three years, with seasonal sea ice replacing thicker multiyear ice. This significant thinning trend is expected to continue, potentially leading to ice-free summers in the Arctic by mid-century.
Researchers have found that the Greenland Ice Sheet is losing mass at an unprecedented rate due to the conversion of gravitational energy from meltwater into heat. The ice sheet's basal melting rates are comparable to those measured on the surface, but without solar energy input, producing a significant source of hydropower.
Scientists have found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet formed 35 million years ago, with warm deep water delaying its expansion to the sea. This discovery helps improve forecasts of its future stability and ice retreat.
Scientists resolve decades-long debate on Antarctic Ice Sheet sensitivity, finding it vulnerable to small CO2 fluctuations. Research shows that large portions of the ice sheet could have disappeared under current CO2 levels.
Researchers identified that the changing weight of ice sheets caused the entire landscape to tilt, changing the course of the Missoula megafloods. This finding provides a new perspective on Washington state's Channeled Scablands, carved by massive floods at the end of the last ice age.
Researchers developed a new technique using radar altimetry to measure river ice thickness and predict safe travel dates on ice roads and bridges in arctic regions. This method can help sustain the network of ice roads built on frozen lakes and rivers, critical for northern communities' food security.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam have found that ice can heal itself by forming a new layer of ice to cover scratches and cuts. This discovery could potentially extend breaks between skating races, but careful control of moisture in the air is still necessary.
A new study by the Alfred Wegener Institute provides a basis for reliable projections of Antarctic sea-ice impacts under climate change. Ocean eddies are found to delay sea-ice loss, contrary to existing simulations, and allow the ocean to transport additional heat northward.
Researchers found unique shapes in melting ice depending on water temperature, influenced by changes in fluid density and flow rates. These findings help explain characteristic ice formations like pinnacle morphology and scallops.
Researchers have discovered that vast ice forms on Pluto's surface are formed by the sublimation of nitrogen ice, powering convection in the ice layer of Sputnik Planitia. This process is consistent with climate models and has implications for other planetary bodies.
Researchers used Rayleigh waves to produce high-resolution images of the rocks underneath the ice sheet, identifying key factors controlling ice flow. The study provides a better understanding of processes contributing to accelerated ice discharge into the ocean and sea level rise.
A new data-model study suggests that the Antarctic Ice Sheet's tipping point was reached within a decade, leading to centuries of ice mass loss and potential irreversible ice retreat. The research team analyzed sediment cores and computer models to identify evidence of post-glacial tipping points in the past.
A new CIRES-led study reveals that ocean temperatures, not ice sheets, are responsible for the dramatic shift in atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns on the West Coast. The research uses a climate model to evaluate the impact of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets on West Coast dynamics during the Last Glacial Maximum.
A new study reconstructs Arctic sea ice levels and currents over 500 years using ancient driftwood, showing a distinct drop in tree arrivals since the 1990s. The research provides a unique look into past Arctic Ocean conditions, shedding light on the impact of climate change on this fragile ecosystem.
New research reveals that a layer of 'hot', electrically conductive ice could be responsible for generating the magnetic fields of ice giant planets. The study found two forms of superionic ice, one of which may exist in the interiors of Uranus and Neptune.
A new study documents the formation of a 3,000-square-kilometer rift in the oldest and thickest Arctic ice, indicating the Last Ice Area may not be as resilient to climate change as previously thought. The polynya is unusual due to its location off the coast of Ellesmere Island, where ice is up to five meters thick.
Researchers have created superionic ice phases XVIII and XX by subjecting water to record-breaking pressures and temperatures. The study provides insights into the formation of these conductive forms of ice and their potential role in explaining the mysterious magnetic fields of Uranus and Neptune.
A new study warns that the Arctic Ocean's 'Last Ice Area,' a region where summer ice traditionally persists, may not survive the century. The study predicts that under high-emissions scenarios, summer ice will disappear by 2100, displacing creatures such as seals and polar bears.
Researchers at UCI and NASA JPL found that a thinning of the ice melange, a slushy concoction of windblown snow, iceberg debris, and frozen seawater, is a major driver of ice shelf collapse. The study revealed that melange thinning can lead to rapid retreat of Antarctica's ice shelves.
Researchers found a 12,000-year record of marine sediment cores in Antarctica showing fluctuations in sea ice levels affecting algae growth. Algal bloom events occurred nearly every year before 4,500 years ago, but became less frequent after 4.5 thousand years ago, responding to climate cycles like ENSO.
Research reveals that Greenland's coastal ice caps experienced growth rather than shrinkage during past periods of warming. This study provides a new perspective on climate change, highlighting the complex relationship between climate conditions and ice cap changes across different regions of the Arctic.
A new AI tool called IceNet has been developed to predict Arctic sea ice conditions with high accuracy. The system is almost 95% accurate in forecasting sea ice presence two months ahead, addressing the challenge of predicting Arctic sea ice forecasts for decades.
Researchers used glacial isostatic adjustment modeling to reconstruct the Antarctic Ice Sheet before the Last Glacial Maximum, revealing a thickened ice sheet that depressed the continent and generated high sea levels. The study aims to improve understanding of ice-sheet response to climate changes.
A Princeton University-led research team discovered that water blisters on the surface of Greenland's high-elevation ice sheet can estimate transmissivity, a property characterizing the efficiency of water networks between ice and bedrock. The study found that transmissivity can increase by two orders of magnitude during the summer mel...
A new study finds that female walruses in the Chukchi Sea rely on biomarkers from algae growing within sea ice as a primary food source. The researchers tracked these markers using liver tissues from harvested animals, revealing a difference in foraging behavior between males and females.
Researchers at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology have discovered a non-classical nucleation process that can greatly facilitate ice formation on foreign surfaces. This finding has the potential to decelerate glacier melting and alleviate environmental concerns by predicting and controlling crystallization processes.
A team of researchers from Virginia Tech has created a novel de-icing method that exploits the growth of frost on pillar structures to suspend ice as it forms. By trapping air pockets under forming ice, the approach reduces adhesion, making it easier to remove ice from aircraft surfaces.
Scientists at Ohio State University have found viruses nearly 15,000 years old in Tibetan glacier ice, including four previously known and 28 novel viruses. The discovery sheds light on virus evolution and helps understand how microbes and viruses respond to climate change.
A new app under development uses AI to identify various kinds of sea ice in the Arctic, helping ship captains navigate icy waters and researchers better understand climate change. The app's accuracy improves with each user-submitted photo, making it a valuable tool for remote sensing of ice.
Scientists use NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite 2 to map subglacial lakes under the West Antarctic ice sheet. The study reveals two new lakes and provides critical insight into freshwater exchange, which may alter ocean circulation and ecosystems.
Researchers at the University of Washington found that summer sea ice in the Last Ice Area, a region north of Greenland and Canadian Arctic Archipelago, is declining due to global warming. The study suggests that this area may not be as resilient as previously thought, raising concerns for polar bears and walruses that rely on the ice.
A new study suggests that ice sheet thickness and the rate of calved icebergs limit the collapse of marine-terminating glaciers. Understanding this process is crucial for forecasting potential future sea level rise.
Researchers found that warm Atlantic water masses are responsible for slowed or prevented ice growth in the Barents and Kara Seas. Long-term data and simulations revealed that this phenomenon can lead to thinner and more fragile Arctic sea ice, potentially affecting regions further east.
Scientists extracted two deep ice cores over 80m long from Colle Gnifetti, containing information on the climate and environment of ten thousand years ago. The ice cores will be stored in Antarctica for decades and centuries to come, providing valuable data for scientific advances and political decisions.
A new study on Petermann Glacier found that the way under-ice landscape is represented in models can significantly impact future sea-level rise predictions. The researchers discovered that a warmer ocean could trigger the break-up of the glacier, leading to increased mass loss from Earth's polar ice sheets.
A new UCL study finds that Arctic sea ice in coastal regions is thinning at a rate of 70% to 100% faster than previously thought. The study uses a novel snow model and satellite radar observations to estimate the overall rate of decline of sea ice thickness in the Arctic, with implications for human activity in the region.
Two international studies analyzing Antarctic ice cores found warmer temperatures in East Antarctica during the last ice age, with temperatures averaging 6.1 degrees Celsius colder than today. The findings better match global climate models and strengthen confidence in their ability to simulate Earth's climate.
Researchers successfully created amorphous ice similar to interstellar space and on Jupiter's moon Europa, which could help interpret data from future NASA missions. They also developed an envelope system that diverts heat away from buildings and stores it for future use, reducing energy consumption by over 50%. Additionally, scientist...
Researchers track water molecule movement using Helium Spin-Echo technique, revealing repulsion between water molecules on graphene surface is crucial for ice formation. This discovery challenges previous understanding of ice nucleation and provides new insights into controlling ice formation.
Researchers at Aalto University discovered that warm ice behaves differently than previously studied cold ice, with no significant viscoelastic recovery. The team's findings suggest that warmer conditions are increasingly expected to affect infrastructure engineering in frigid regions.
Researchers use geological records to recreate the history of Larsen C Ice Shelf, finding that it has remained stable for the past 10,000 years. Despite this, the team warns that warmer ocean currents and atmospheric temperatures could lead to future collapse.
Researchers detected new early-warning signals indicating the Greenland Ice Sheet's destabilization and potential melting at limited warming levels. The study suggests that a tipping point is approaching in the central-western part of the ice sheet, which could lead to substantial long-term sea level rise.
An analysis of the Central-Western Greenland ice sheet reveals distinct marks of instability due to accelerated melting. The study suggests that this part of the ice sheet has reached a critical threshold, leading to severe consequences for global sea level and climate.
Researchers used fibre-optic sensing to obtain highly detailed temperature measurements from the surface of the ice sheet to its base, revealing a heterogeneous temperature distribution. This finding contradicts previous theories and highlights limitations in current models, including those predicting global sea-level rise.
A team of scientists from the University of Warwick used phage display to discover a small peptide that can bind to ice, which has potential applications in preserving frozen cells and foods. The discovery highlights the power of biotechnology tools in discovering new materials with unique properties.
A University of Maine-led study has uncovered new information about millennia of sea ice variability in the Southern Hemisphere by examining the chemistry of a 54,000-year-old South Pole ice core. The research reveals significant fluctuations in wintertime sea ice and an overall increase in ice cover throughout the Holocene.
A recent study published by University of Alaska Fairbanks researchers found that sea ice declined 5.7 times faster than normal during the Great Arctic Cyclone of 2016. The rapid decline was driven by cyclone-triggered processes within the ocean, including warm water upwelling and surface turbulence.
The cryosphere plays a vital role in regulating global climate, and NASA studies its changes extensively. Scientists have reported dramatic ice sheet losses in Greenland and Antarctica, causing sea levels to rise by 0.55 inches over 16 years.
Researchers at Stanford University used a new approach to analyze radar data to show that extreme melt events can create persistent structural changes in the ice sheet, reducing its ability to store meltwater. This change can lead to slippery conditions on the ice bed and speed up the ice sheet's melting.
Researchers from the University of Copenhagen gathered data from the Renland Ice Cap, combining airborne radar, on-site measurements, and satellite data to create a more accurate model. This study now allows for greater precision in projecting local climate conditions for smaller ice caps and glaciers around the world.
A new study suggests that 34% of Antarctic ice shelves could disappear by the end of the century if the planet warms up by 4°C. The melting could lead to a significant rise in sea levels, threatening coastal regions worldwide.
Researchers analyzed ice-core data to understand Dansgaard-Oeschger events, finding that changes in ocean currents, sea-ice, and wind patterns were intertwined and likely triggered each other. This discovery has implications for predicting future climate change and highlights the importance of limiting anthropogenic emissions.
A third of Antarctic's ice shelf area could collapse into the sea if global temperatures reach 4°C above pre-industrial levels, new research shows. Limiting temperature rise to 2°C could halve the area at risk and potentially avoid significant sea level rise.
A recent study by Durham University reveals that the rapid sea-level rise at the end of the last ice age was primarily caused by the melting of ice sheets in North America and Scandinavia. This finding, which challenges previous theories, provides valuable insights into the complex interactions between ice-ocean-climate systems.
Researchers discover that organic molecules, commonly found in aerosols, can facilitate ice crystal formation in clouds. They also investigate a memory effect where second-round ice formation is more effective than the first, revealing crevices in the nucleant surface can hold onto small amounts of ice.
A team of researchers from the University of Warwick has discovered that even short chains of poly(vinyl alcohol) bind to ice and inhibit recrystallization. This finding sheds new light on the fundamental principles of ice recrystallization, enabling the design of more effective cryoprotectants.
Researchers find fossilized plant structures at the bottom of a 4560-foot-deep ice core, indicating that most of Greenland was ice-free within the last million years. The discovery highlights the vulnerability of the Greenland ice sheet to climate warming and sea-level rise, posing a significant threat to coastal cities worldwide.
Scientists used high-resolution data from ICESat-2 to map the depth and surface morphology of fractures in Antarctica's Amery Ice Shelf. The study identified three types of fractures up to 164 feet deep, providing insights into ice shelf stability and potential calving events.
A University of Colorado Boulder-led study found record melting on Antarctica's northern George VI Ice Shelf during the 2019-2020 summer season. The extreme melt coincided with record-setting stretches when local surface air temperatures were at or above freezing point, posing a threat to ice-shelf break-up and sea-level rise.
Researchers have successfully resolved the 'Missing Ice Problem' by including crustal, gravitational, and rotational perturbations in their model. The new reconstruction reveals that the total mass of Last Ice Age glaciers was 20% smaller and accumulated faster than previously thought.