Articles tagged with Glaciers
A new study reveals that Antarctic glaciers are speeding up and moving towards the ocean due to meltwater draining from their surface to their base. This process, known as hydrofracturing, reduces friction and accelerates glacier movement.
A new study reveals that the Antarctic ice sheet responded sharply to climate change following a major shift in Earth's ice age cycles. The simulation found that below a critical atmospheric CO2 level, the amplitude of Antarctic ice variations increases in response to changes in temperatures.
Central Asian glaciers experienced record-breaking ice loss in 2025 due to exceptionally warm spring and summer temperatures and reduced snowfall frequency. The study shows that 64% of glaciers lost their most negative mass balance since at least 1991, highlighting increasing vulnerability to climate warming.
Researchers at the University of Arizona used drones equipped with ground-penetrating radar to map the thickness of rocky debris covering glaciers on Earth. The technology could help future astronauts locate accessible water locked in buried ice on Mars.
Researchers used a novel technique to analyze millions of individual particles in Antarctic ice cores, revealing common dust sources during the last Ice Age. The study highlights the importance of atmospheric circulation changes and provides insights into ancient climate systems and potential future environmental shifts.
Researchers use global seismic networks and satellite observations to detect calving tidewater glaciers in Greenland. Large ice loss events are becoming more frequent, making it essential to understand their frequency, location, and factors leading to calving.
Researchers predict that glaciers in High Mountain Asia may threaten future water security due to rapid melting caused by warming temperatures. The study found significant losses in glacier mass between 2002 and 2023, which could intensify short-term flood risks and reduce long-term meltwater availability.
A team of researchers has created a map of 33 subglacial lakes in the Canadian Arctic, revealing unprecedented detail about these bodies of water. The discovery helps scientists better understand the rapidly melting region and its implications for glacier loss and climate change.
Scientists extracted thousands of years' worth of air pollution from a 9.5-meter ice core, recording medieval mining, fires, and volcanoes. However, global warming is destroying this frozen archive, and researchers warn that it's a race against time to capture critical climate information.
Research shows glacial lakes in Alaska expanding 50% faster than previously recorded, posing significant hazards and altering ecosystems. The study identifies areas where lakes may form and grow, helping with infrastructure planning and predicting changes to ecosystems, hazards, and recreation.
A recent study found that seals near glacier fronts have fuller stomachs, indicating intense feeding activity. This discovery has implications for Arctic marine ecosystems as glaciers retreat and habitats disappear.
The surge in glacier tourism poses significant pressure on vulnerable ecosystems and local communities. Experts highlight the need for balancing tourism with conservation, awareness, and social equity to prevent maladaptation strategies from spreading.
Researchers found a surprising correlation between West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat and marine algae growth over the past 500,000 years. The study suggests that global warming may lead to reduced CO2 uptake if the ice sheet continues to shrink.
The United Nations University reports that many regions are living beyond their hydrological means, with critical water systems already bankrupt. The study defines 'water bankruptcy' as persistent over-withdrawal from surface and groundwater relative to renewable inflows and safe levels of depletion. This has resulted in a growing list...
A University of Houston scientist teams with international partners to map Antarctica's glaciers, revealing tidal movements and retreat rates up to 700 meters per year. The dataset provides the most detailed view yet of how glaciers interact with the ocean, enabling better understanding and modeling of sea-level rise.
Researchers project that Chile's glaciers will only be able to contribute half of today's runoff meltwater during extreme dry summer months. They call for effective water management strategies and coordinated global climate policies to mitigate future megadroughts.
A landmark study by Swansea University reveals the Hektoria Glacier lost nearly half its length in two months during 2023, a pace similar to the end of the last ice age. The rapid retreat was boosted by the shape of the land beneath it, leading scientists to identify vulnerable glaciers and prioritize their monitoring.
Researchers used airborne radar to map an unexplored region in East Antarctica, discovering a subglacial sedimentary basin. The basal unit, a layer of ice, carried small amounts of material from a mountain range and left behind sediment, forming a novel kind of basin.
A new study finds that glaciers will likely reach their peak of self-cooling power in the 2020s-2040s before near-surface temperatures spike up and melting accelerates. The research, led by Thomas Shaw, used an unprecedented dataset of on-glacier observations worldwide to demonstrate this trend.
The Swiss Alps have experienced its fourth greatest shrinkage of glacier ice since 2003, with over 1,000 small glaciers disappearing since 2015. The rapid melting was driven by low snowfall and record-breaking heatwaves in June 2025.
A new study has found that Andean glaciers in Peru grew during the Younger Dryas period due to increased snowfall linked to seasonal shifts in the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This challenges previous theories and provides valuable insights into historical climate conditions.
Researchers found that northerly winds exacerbate ice loss in Antarctica by capping off polynyas, reducing ocean heat loss. This mechanism could be connected to human-induced climate change and potentially mitigated by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Researchers studying Tajikistan's Kyzylsu Glacier found that the glacier likely reached its tipping point in 2018, with decreasing snowfall causing it to melt. The study uses computational models driven by new local observations and demonstrates the importance of densifying observational data in understanding anomalous glacier behavior.
Research from the University of Utah and Virginia Tech reveals that seasonal shifts in rainfall and snowfall patterns are exacerbating glacier melting across the region. Glaciers in Central Himalaya, Western Himalaya, and Eastern Himalaya are especially vulnerable to accelerated ice loss and water availability threats.
A lake formed in 1995 and has repeatedly drained through channels and cracks, causing massive amounts of fresh water to reach the glacier tongue. Researchers found extensive triangular fracture fields with cracks that are shaped differently from all previous lake drainages.
Glacier-caused flooding is an annual threat in Juneau, with record-breaking floods over the past two years impacting hundreds of homes. The USGS provides real-time monitoring data to help emergency managers make informed decisions about evacuations and road closures.
Rapidly melting glaciers in High Mountain Asia are causing water volume to increase by 10% or more in at least 10% of rivers, including the Yangtze, Amu Darya, and Syr Darya. This surge can bring short-term benefits like increased hydropower and agriculture, but also poses risks such as sediment increases and glacier loss.
Researchers used fiber-optic technology to measure how falling ice drives glacial retreat in Greenland. The impact of warming seawater on glacier melting and erosion was found to amplify calving and mass loss.
An international team of researchers has tracked changes in over 114,000 rivers in High-mountain Asia, finding nearly 10% of them saw an increase in flow from glacial ice melt. This shift poses a challenge for the region's energy future, particularly hydroelectricity generation, due to increased sediment and reduced reservoir capacity.
A global analysis using machine learning predicts glacial erosion rates for 180,000 glaciers worldwide, with most experiencing erosion between 0.02-2.68 millimeters per year. The study identifies complex factors influencing erosion, including temperature, water under the glacier and rock type.
The Perito Moreno Glacier has retreated by up to 800 meters since 2019, with a 16-fold increase in thinning rate, posing a risk of collapse and significant retreat in the near future. Scientists are unsure why this rapid acceleration is occurring, but a large ridge beneath the glacier may have contributed to its pre-2019 stability.
A recent study in Nature Geoscience offers important new insights into the hidden role of ancient groundwater beneath the ocean floor. Researchers found that fossil groundwater changed its composition after the retreat of the Fennoscandian ice sheet, becoming vulnerable to mixing with seawater.
Researchers discovered an 85m-deep crater and 90 million cubic metres of water flooded out of a subglacial lake, fracturing the ice above and creating a massive flood. The study highlights the need to better understand how often subglacial lakes drain and their impact on the surrounding ice sheet.
Researchers have found extensive, previously unmapped flat surfaces beneath a 3,500 km stretch of the East Antarctic coastline, which were formed by large rivers after East Antarctica and Australia broke apart. These surfaces may currently be regulating the rate of ice loss from the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.
A new study found that chemical reactions in newly uncovered glacial sediments initially suppress greenhouse gas emissions, but as soil matures, it produces more methane, contributing to warming. The research provides insights into the role of soil and water in the climate change cycle.
Researchers found that thick ice cover suppressed volcanic eruptions, but as glacial ice melts, pressure builds and magma is released, leading to more frequent and explosive eruptions. This phenomenon could occur worldwide, including Antarctica, and may have global climate impacts, including long-term warming.
Researchers at the University of Copenhagen analyzed old aerial photos to better understand mechanisms behind Antarctic ice shelf collapse. The study reveals that rising sea temperatures are a primary driver of collapse, contradicting previous assumptions.
A new study predicts that limiting warming to 1.5°C could preserve over half of the world's glacier mass, but even at this level, 39% of glacier mass would still disappear due to delayed climate change reactions.
The study found that Earth's glaciers will lose 76% of their 2020 mass under current climate policy pledges, with Alaska losing 69%. Limiting warming to 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit could reduce global mass loss to 47%, and Alaska's loss to 41%.
A new study published in Science finds that strong climate policy can preserve twice as much ice as current warming trajectories, even if temperatures stabilized today. At a 1.5°C temperature increase, 53% of global glacier mass could be preserved, alleviating hazards like flooding and freshwater deficiency.
A recent study found that warming to 2.7°C would preserve only 24% of present-day glacier mass, while limiting warming to 1.5°C would conserve 54%. Glacier loss poses significant consequences for sea levels, freshwater availability, and tourism.
A new study suggests that limiting global temperature increase to 1.5°C may not be enough to save the world's ice sheets, which could lead to significant losses and extensive displacement of coastal populations. The researchers argue that a target of around 1°C would be more effective in preventing rapid sea level rise.
Research reveals mountain glaciers worldwide will not recover for centuries under 'overshoot' scenarios, where the planet exceeds the 1.5°C limit before cooling back down. Glaciers could lose up to 16% of their mass, leading to increased sea-level rise and disrupting downstream communities.
A team of researchers developed the first global machine learning model to calculate the volume of all glaciers on Earth. The model shows errors up to 30-40% lower than traditional global models, particularly at polar latitudes and along the peripheries of ice sheets.
A new study found that climate change may undermine the capacity of Arctic fjords to serve as effective carbon sinks, leading to a decline in sequestration carbon. Rapid changes are transforming fjord ecosystems, with phytoplankton communities shifting due to melting ice and warmer waters.
Researchers estimate that Patagonian glaciers have lost over a quarter of their total ice volume since the 1940s, raising global sea level by 3.7 mm. A new study links this mass loss to a poleward shift of subtropical high-pressure systems, which brings more warm air to Patagonia, accelerating glacier melt.
Researchers deployed fiber optics to detect seismic signals of crevasses opening on a Swiss glacier, confirming the technology's potential in monitoring glacier stability. The team detected 951 icequakes with strong oscillations after the arrival of seismic surface waves.
Shrinking Andean glaciers pose a significant threat to the water supplies of 90 million people, with thinning rates 35% faster than the global average. Effective management of water resources and drastic reduction in carbon emissions are crucial to mitigate this impact.
Researchers at Schmidt Ocean Institute have discovered vibrant communities of ancient sponges and corals in the wake of recently detached iceberg A-84. This observation sheds new light on the resilience and adaptability of Antarctic ecosystems.
An international team of glacier scientists has formed the Glacier Stewardship Program to address the challenges of glacier loss. The program aims to explore new technical approaches, mitigate impacts on communities, and establish a biobank to save glacier biodiversity.
Climate change impacts Arctic coastal ecosystems through melting glaciers, altering kelp growth and elemental composition. Kelps are highly susceptible to changes in run-off intensities, leading to increased metal concentrations and negative ecological consequences.
The 5th International Polar Year (IPY-5) aims to study the Arctic and work towards climate solutions. Research emphasizes science diplomacy and international cooperation to address the climate emergency.
Researchers found that ancient glaciers carved deep into the Earth's crust, releasing key minerals that altered ocean chemistry. This process created conditions that allowed complex life to evolve, with the influx of elements changing ocean chemistry at a critical time in evolution.
Researchers discovered that Arctic glaciers are leaking significant amounts of methane through the 'glacial fracking' process. This previously unrecognised process could contribute to Arctic climate feedbacks and accelerate global warming.
Global glacier melt accelerated over the last decade, with a 36% increase in meltwater compared to the previous decade. This poses significant risks to drinking water supplies, particularly in South America and Asia due to rising sea levels and increased flooding after the melt season.
Researchers discovered that tiny algae on glacier ice can grow rapidly despite limited nutrients, darkening the surface and accelerating melting. This finding has significant implications for predicting climate change, as it highlights a potential positive feedback loop between warming and ice melt.
Global glacier mass loss has increased by 36% since 2000, with 6,542 billion tons lost between 2000 and 2023. This results in an 18 mm annual contribution to global sea-level rise, making glaciers the second-largest contributor after ocean warming.
Since the turn of the millennium, glaciers worldwide have lost around 273 billion tonnes of ice per year, corresponding to about five and a half times the volume of Lake Constance. The loss of ice from glaciers has led to a rise in sea level of 18 millimetres, making it the second strongest driver of sea level rise after ocean warming.
Researchers detect nanoplastic particles on glaciers in France, Italy, and Switzerland, suggesting sea pollution as the source. The concentrations of nanoplastics varied between locations, with wind direction affecting their accumulation.
A new study reveals that dust storms picking up black carbon from heavily-polluted areas and depositing it in the mountains darkens the ice and snow, causing it to melt faster. This regional environmental problem is a second, more local cause of glacier loss in the Himalayas.