Articles tagged with Glaciers
A new study reveals that Pine Island Glacier is highly sensitive to climatic and oceanic changes, with fluctuations in ocean heat causing significant melting. The glacier's response to climate variability has been underestimated, suggesting a more complex interplay between geological, oceanographic, and climatic processes.
A new study suggests that El Nino events are tied to the rapid melting of Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier. The glacier's ice shelf has been thinned nearly continuously since observations began in the 1970s. Under certain conditions, a thick layer of warm water surrounding the continent can flood the glacier margin and accelerate melt.
Scientists have discovered new evidence that the Italian Alps are warming at an unprecedented rate. A team of glaciologists drilling ice cores found a 2,600-year-old larch tree leaf that suggests the glacier was once below-freezing but now has layers at the melting point throughout the year.
Researchers study fossil estuaries, a 'natural wind tunnel' experiment on the Chinese Loess Plateau, frictional melting of rocks in water, glacial moraines in Colorado, and topographic data from Venus. These studies explore ecosystem stability, aeolian sediments, fault frictional properties, and volcanic lightning.
Scientists recorded and identified the sizzling sound of glacier ice as it melts, a phenomenon caused by trapped air bubbles escaping from the disappearing ice. This discovery could help researchers better monitor polar environments and track changes in glacier melt rates using underwater hydrophone recordings.
Scientists have gained new insight into how glacier movement is affected by melting ice in summer, enabling more accurate predictions of sea level rise. The study found that fast summer ice flow caused by significant melting is cancelled out by slower motion the following winter.
A new technique using Arctic fossil records reveals that Greenland's ice sheet was smaller between 3,000-5,000 years ago, with warmest land and ocean conditions during this period. This finding suggests the ice sheet may respond to ocean temperatures, providing a clue to future climate change.
A Dartmouth-led team has developed a more accurate method to date boulders deposited by tropical glaciers, yielding older ages and changing previous research on climate's impact. The new production rate suggests glaciers expanded during cooler and drier times in the tropics.
Biologists at the University of South Carolina have discovered a rare shark species, Sphyrna gilberti, which has a distinct genetic signature and is found only in the Santee and Pee Dee river systems. The discovery highlights the fragility of shark diversity and underscores the importance of studying evolutionary history.
Narrow stripes of dirt and rock beneath massive Antarctic glaciers create friction zones that slow the flow of ice toward the sea. The process is strongly affected by how water infiltrates the space between the ice sheet and the bedrock, researchers found.
Research reveals selective glacial erosion in Norway's passive margin, links gold to pyrite in carbon-rich sediments, and analyzes seawater Sr/Ca ratios. These findings advance our understanding of Earth's geological history and plate tectonics.
Researchers measured undersea current of warm water driven by fresh water from the melting glacier. The measurements will be used with physical and computer models to predict future changes in the ice shelf and glacial melt rates.
A team led by NASA's Robert Bindschadler measures the rate at which warm ocean water melts Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier ice shelf from underneath. The study reveals melt rates of up to 2.36 inches per day, with implications for sea level rise and glacier stability.
Researchers found that ocean warming is melting the Pine Island Glacier's floating ice shelf, causing rapid movement of glaciers in Antarctica. This process can lead to increased sea level rise as more ice is added to the mass of Antarctic glaciers.
Scientists have measured ice-shelf melting rates and processes beneath Pine Island Glacier, revealing a critical need to understand channelized melting under massive glaciers. The findings could lead to the break-up of the ice shelf and contribute to global sea-level rise.
Researchers found that coal soot reduced Alpine glacier ice by shrinking them, despite cooler temperatures. European glaciers retreated an average of nearly 1 kilometer between 1860 and 1930 due to industrialization, contradicting previous natural climate shift assumptions.
Scientists have uncovered strong evidence that soot from industrial Europe caused the abrupt retreat of mountain glaciers in the European Alps. The research, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, resolves a longstanding debate about why the Alps glaciers retreated beginning in the 1860s.
New research from Durham University reveals that the East Antarctic Ice Sheet may be more susceptible to changes in air temperatures and sea-ice than previously believed. The study found rapid and synchronised periods of advance and retreat among 175 glaciers along the coastline, coinciding with cooling and warming patterns.
A study by University of Pennsylvania geologist Jane Willenbring and colleagues found that the local glacial maximum in southern Europe occurred earlier than expected, around 26,000 years ago. This discovery provides new insights into how regional climates have varied over time and could lead to more accurate global climate models.
The new articles examine ancient whale coprolites in central Italy, fault slickensides in San Francisco, and earthquake hazards in Cascadia. They also discuss the formation of silica gel during fault slip and the microstructures of superplastically deformed materials.
Researchers investigate the solid Earth's influence on sea level changes, divergent geologic histories in North America, and 'ghost glaciers' in Greenland. The study also examines the Picuris Orogeny in New Mexico and the Cryogenian Perry Canyon Formation in Utah.
Researchers discovered that soil microbial biomass and fungal activity increased as the soil aged, with correlations between microbial respiration and soil nitrogen content indicating a community-wide influence on the environment. Yellow mountain avens, which support nitrogen fixation, took 40 years to impact soil microbial biomass.
Researchers have developed a new model that simulates the calving process of icebergs, predicting areas at risk of rapid disintegration due to climate change. The model suggests that stretches of ice on Antarctica and Greenland are vulnerable to catastrophic collapse, potentially exacerbating sea level rise over the next 100 years.
Supraglacial lakes' draining mechanisms, which affect ice velocity and extent, were studied in West Greenland. The findings show that rapid draining accelerates glacial movement, while slow draining increases its pace, with implications for sea-level rise.
Researchers gathered extensive data using airborne and orbiting instruments to study the calving process of Pine Island Glacier. The analysis promises to improve understanding of how glaciers calve and shed light on future ice sheet changes.
A new study suggests that the Greenland ice sheet's contribution to sea-level rise will continue to increase as surface melting becomes more significant. This change is driven by the rapid retreat of outlet glaciers and strong warming-induced surface melting, which removes ice before it can reach the marine margin.
Researchers have used innovative radar analysis to accurately image the vast subglacial water system under Thwaites Glacier, a Florida-sized outlet glacier in Antarctica. The findings suggest that the dynamics of this water system may play a crucial role in predicting the fate of the glacier.
Researchers investigate strain localization, atmospheric CO2, and ultra-high pressure metamorphism, shedding light on geological phenomena. Intensified Southern Hemisphere Westerlies are found to regulate atmospheric CO2 during the last deglaciation, highlighting critical parameters for the global carbon cycle.
Two UAF scientists contributed to a global study on glacier mass losses and their impact on rising sea levels. Their findings suggest that Alaskan glaciers alone explain one-third of the current sea-level rise, making Alaska a top contributor to global sea level.
Researchers John Isbell and Erik Gulbranson study ancient climate shifts to understand modern-day drastic climate change. They find evidence of 22 individual ice sheets in Gondwana, suggesting dramatic temperature swings and atmospheric CO2 levels fluctuations.
A new study found that the world's glaciers lost an average of roughly 260 billion metric tons of ice annually between 2003 and 2009, contributing to ocean rise of 0.03 inches or 0.7 millimeters per year. This loss exceeds previous estimates, highlighting the crucial role of smaller ice bodies in global sea level rise.
A new study using NASA satellite data found that glaciers outside of Greenland and Antarctica lost an average of 571 trillion pounds of mass every year, contributing to a 0.03-inch-per-year rise in sea levels. This is equal to about 30% of the total observed global sea level rise during the same period.
A new study reveals that glacier melting is responsible for about one-third of the observed sea-level rise, with other factors like ice sheets and thermal expansion contributing equally. The research used satellite data from NASA's ICESat and GRACE missions to calculate glacier mass changes globally.
Glaciers in the Mount Everest region have shrunk by 13% in the last 50 years, with snowlines shifted upward by 180 meters. The researchers suspect human-generated greenhouse gases are causing climate change, but need to establish a firm connection.
A new study models iceberg production by Greenland glaciers, finding that fjord shape and terrain below the ice significantly affect their movement. The research suggests that climate change will lead to an average loss of 30-47Gt of ice from these glaciers over the 21st century.
IceBridge team measures sea ice, maps sub-ice bedrock, and gathers data on Greenland's glaciers, improving computer models of sea and land ice. The campaign aims to collect as much data as possible to understand the changing state of Arctic sea ice.
Researchers analyzed a new ice core from Antarctica, finding that recent glacier changes are at the 'upper bound' of normal. The study suggests that rapid thinning and warming in the region cannot be confidently attributed to human-caused global warming.
The study reveals that peripheral glaciers in Greenland are losing mass at a rate of up to 50 Gigatons per year, contributing to around 15-20% of sea-level rise. This is higher than expected and more significant than the ice sheet alone.
Recent research highlights a catastrophic acceleration in Canadian Arctic glacier melt, with projections suggesting up to 18% mass loss by the end of the century. Climate change is deemed effectively irreversible, according to model simulations.
A new study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution identifies glaciers as a significant source of iron to the North Atlantic Ocean. The research found high concentrations of dissolved iron in meltwater from glaciers and ice sheets, which may fuel plankton growth during spring and summer.
Research predicts 20% of Canadian Arctic glaciers will melt by end of century, causing irreparable ice loss and sea-level rise. The study's results show that climate change reinforces warming, making it highly likely that glaciers will melt at alarming rate.
A team of geoscientists from the University of Arizona led by Stuart N. Thomson discovered that East Antarctica's landscape changed dramatically when big glaciers appeared there, carving deep valleys quickly. The research used sediment cores to analyze minerals and determine the rate of erosion over time.
A new study projects that global sea-level rise will not be uniform, with certain regions experiencing higher rates of rise. The team used sophisticated computer modeling to show how ice loss from glaciers and ice sheets will impact regional sea levels, particularly in the Equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Researchers studied the origin of freshwater bodies in the New Jersey shelf and found it comes from modern rainwater, seawater, and a brine from deep sediments. They also investigated active methane formation beneath the seafloor and its potential impact on greenhouse gas emissions during ice ages.
Glaciers in the tropical Andes have been retreating at an increasing rate since the 1970s, with a 30-50% shrinkage since then. Climate change is blamed for this rapid melting, which could affect water supply to Andean populations.
A new study provides a geological timeline for ice loss in West Antarctica, shedding light on the recent rapid melting of glaciers and improving predictions for future sea-level rise. The research reveals that exceptional changes in glacier retreat may occur only rarely over the past 10,000 years.
A CU research team studied the Larsen C Ice Shelf, finding that massive crevasses make it more susceptible to collapse. However, they also discovered that bendable ice in suture zones helps protect the shelf from disintegration.
The Geosphere journal has published 17 new studies on various topics including the Hosgri strike-slip fault zone, Mount Katmai's eruptive history, and the Barreirinhas Basin in Brazil. These studies provide insights into shallow structure, geomorphology, volcanic eruptions, and climate-tectonic interactions.
A new method developed by Princeton researchers provides a more accurate account of Greenland's complex ice melt by 'seeing through' data noise. The technique reveals that the annual acceleration in ice loss is much lower than previously estimated, with some areas showing no ice mass loss.
A CU-Boulder study suggests the iconic Columbia Glacier in Alaska will cease its retreat by 2020, reaching a new stable position 15 miles upstream. This prediction challenges current understanding of sea level rise and highlights the complexities of glacier dynamics.
Scientists have discovered a method using shrubs to create historical climate data on glaciers, providing more accurate predictions of future changes. The method allows researchers to extend the current record of glacier melting back by many decades, giving them a better understanding of how glaciers behave in the summer.
Himalayan glaciers in Bhutan are projected to shrink by 10% within a few decades despite stable temperatures. Glacial meltwater could drop by 30%, increasing the risk of flooding in neighboring villages.
A University of Innsbruck team assessed glacier contribution to sea level rise from 1902 to 2009, finding that melting glaciers caused about 11 cm of sea level increase. Glaciers' melt rates were surprisingly constant over time, with brief warm episodes leading to Arctic glacier retreat.
The Geological Society of America's GEOLOGY journal has posted 35 new studies online, covering various disciplines such as volcanology and paleoclimatology. These studies explore topics like super-eruptions, vegetation change, and geochemical asymmetry in hotspot volcanoes.
The mission targeted the rapidly-changing Thwaites Glacier, a high-priority area for researchers. Scientists recorded new measurements to build a record of change in the Antarctic, combining them with previously gathered data.
A new study in Nature Geoscience reveals that the high-elevation flat surfaces of Norway's landscape are geologically young due to extensive glacial erosion. The research contradicts previous views and suggests a complete re-interpretation of Scandinavia's tectonic history.
Researchers published new studies on the geology of Nevada, Alaska, and Arizona, shedding light on major faults, river systems, and tectonic processes. These findings provide new insights into the region's geological history and have significant implications for understanding natural disasters.
A new study reveals how warming waters in the Southern Ocean can connect with the movement of massive ice-sheets deep in the Antarctic interior. The research found that ocean warming can trigger increased flow of ice through narrow glaciers, causing inland sectors of the ice-sheet to become thinner and flow faster.
Researchers have discovered that Alpine glaciers contain diverse biogeochemical complexes of dissolved organic matter, which is surprisingly bioavailable. This finding highlights the importance of glaciers as 'freezers' that preserve organic matter for microbial heterotrophs.
Scientists found that glaciers on Baffin Island expanded quickly during a short-lived cold snap about 8,200 years ago, providing insight into ice sheets' response to past climate change. This discovery suggests that ice sheets may react rapidly to temperature shifts, raising concerns for future climate change.