Articles tagged with Glaciers
A new study of lake sediment cores from Sanak Island in the western Gulf of Alaska suggests that deglaciation occurred 1,500-2,000 years earlier than previously thought. This finding opens the door for re-evaluating coastal migration models for the Americas.
A new study reveals that an ice cap and valley glaciers were present in the centre of Dartmoor during the last Ice Age, sculpting its rocky landscape. The research found distinctive outer tors survived while inner tors were destroyed or prevented from forming due to the glacier's presence.
Climate change is causing glacier lilies to bloom earlier than expected, disrupting the timing of broad-tailed hummingbirds' arrival, which depends on the flowers for nectar. The biologists predict that if current trends continue, hummingbirds will miss the first blooms entirely in two decades.
Researchers analyzed 80-year-old photo plates and found that glaciers were melting faster today than in the 1930s, with most glaciers retreating at an average of 20 meters per year. A brief cooling period in the mid-20th century allowed new ice to form before accelerating again.
Researchers from University of Copenhagen analyzed 80-year-old aerial photos to study glacial evolution in Greenland. The results show that glaciers can recover within a short timeframe if temperatures decrease, contradicting current global warming models.
Research reveals Greenland's ice sheet is losing mass at an unprecedented rate, with melting and calving processes increasing by 0.07mm/year annually since 2005. The study provides insights into the impact of regional weather patterns on ice sheet dynamics.
Scientists have analyzed the speed of over 200 Greenland outlet glaciers, finding they are moving at a slower rate than previously thought. The study suggests that the rate at which these glaciers can dump ice into the ocean is limited, with a possible contribution of only four inches to sea level rise by 2100.
A new study shows Greenland's contribution to rising sea levels may be less than expected due to a 30% speedup in outlet glaciers. This means the ice sheet could contribute up to nearly 19 inches of sea level rise by 2100, but long-term behavior is still uncertain.
Researchers used stalagmites to reconstruct a history of the tropical West Pacific's climate over four glacial cycles, finding no evidence of a sudden shift in peak interglacial conditions following a key event. Instead, they found extreme drying in the tropics coincided with abrupt climate changes in high latitudes.
Researchers uncover ancient deformation ages of the Dead Sea fault zone, linking them to climate change in Northern Hemisphere. In southern Patagonia, warming caused glaciers to retreat early, while microbes played a key role in ooid formation.
A new study by British Antarctic Survey reveals that warm ocean currents are the dominant cause of recent ice loss from Antarctica. The research found that 20 out of 54 ice shelves around Antarctica are being melted by warm ocean currents, most of which are in West Antarctica.
Research finds Himalayan glacier shrinkage scenarios exaggerated, with average length decreases of 15-20 meters and area losses of 0.1-0.6 percent per year. Glaciers are more variable than predicted, posing a threat to local populations and glacial lakes.
A Montana State University study found that population densities around some US national parks rose 2,000-3,100% between 1940 and 2000, while housing densities grew 11-13.6%. The study also identified unique challenges for each of the five land-use category categories, including wildland-protected and urban parks.
A new study reveals that West Antarctica's floating ice shelves are fracturing and retreating inland, potentially accelerating ice loss to the sea. The research found that the margins of these ice shelves are heavily rifted, resembling a cracked mirror in satellite imagery.
Researchers found evidence of glacier sensitivity to rising temperatures and a massive body of sand in the North Sea large enough to cover London. They also uncovered the oldest evidence of animals burrowing for food, which coincides with the earliest ecological differentiation of macroscopic communities.
Glacier-fed river ecosystems face extinction due to climate change, with up to 11-38% loss of species adapted to glacial streams. Researchers from the University of Copenhagen warn that this could have unknown consequences for ecosystem functioning.
Studies investigate magma fingers, knickzones, and debris flows in the Sierra Nevada and Pacific Northwest. Magma fingers form through focused porous flow and channeling, while knickzones indicate base-level fall along rivers.
Researchers found a link between large dust storms on southern Iceland and accelerated glacial melting, while also increasing nutrients in the North Atlantic Ocean. The iron-rich dust boosts ocean primary productivity and stimulates marine biota growth, drawing down CO2 from the atmosphere.
A study published in Nature Geoscience reveals that glaciers provide a significant source of modern organic carbon to downstream ecosystems, indicating the widespread influence of human activities on pristine environments. The findings suggest that glacier ecosystems are highly sensitive to climate warming and industrial pollution.
Researchers from UC presented studies on water management in ancient Maya cities, changes to global glaciers, US manufacturing location decisions in China, airline hub locations and food deserts in Hamilton County, Ohio. The research aims to provide reliable data for decision-making and improve understanding of environmental changes.
Research reveals glaciers record anthropogenic perturbation, highlighting the impact of human activities on the global carbon cycle. The study found that glacier ecosystems are post-industrial and provide a unique perspective for understanding climate change.
A new study led by CU-Boulder shows that global glaciers and ice caps are shedding roughly 150 billion tons of ice annually, contributing to sea level rise. This is equivalent to losing about 39 cubic miles of ice from 2003 to 2010.
A recent study by University of Innsbruck climate researchers found that land-cover changes have a limited effect on glacier loss in the Kilimanjaro area. The team's novel methodology showed that LCC mainly alter precipitation over glaciers, resulting in local increases or decreases in glacier mass.
Researchers have discovered two types of bacteria that can survive at extremely cold temperatures, including the bottom of Arctic and Antarctic glaciers. The bacteria, Chryseobacterium and Paenisporosarcina, respire in ice at temperatures ranging from -27 to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, using acetate as an energy source.
The retrieval of four cores from a glacier high atop Mount Ortles may provide valuable insights into past climate changes and environmental shifts in the region. The cores contain unaltered ice that could reveal a climate history spanning several centuries, including the Medieval Warm Period and the Little Ice Age.
Glaciers are shrinking at a rapid pace, with water levels potentially decreasing by 30% during the dry season. The accelerated glacial retreat poses serious problems for millions of people dependent on the water for electricity, agriculture, and drinking water.
A four-year study assesses freshwater resources in the High Asia region, encompassing five mountain ranges and watersheds totaling 1 million square miles. The research aims to provide accurate data on snow and glacier contributions to river discharge, helping forecast water resource availability and vulnerability.
Research suggests that tropical sea-surface temperatures may contribute to accelerated melting of Antarctic glaciers, such as Pine Island and Thwaites, due to westerly winds. This phenomenon is linked to changes in atmospheric circulation influenced by warmer-than-usual sea-surface temperatures in the central tropics.
New reports identify extreme vulnerability of Asia's mountainous Hindu Kush-Himalayan region to climate change, with rising temperatures disturbing the balance of snow, ice, and water. Glaciers are shrinking at a rate of 22 percent in Bhutan and 21 percent in Nepal over the past 30 years.
A team from RIT and UB is simulating laser imaging for NASA's ICESat-2 mission to better interpret changes in polar ice. The technology will create three-dimensional renderings of ice sheets and glaciers, allowing scientists to measure annual changes in ice-sheet thickness with high accuracy.
Scientists at University of New Hampshire will provide sea level rise data for next IPCC report. The data, currently poorly understood, will be used to estimate the contribution of mountain glaciers to sea level rise.
The 2011 AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Awards honored journalists Mark Johnson and Kathleen Gallagher for their compelling series on the use of genetic analysis to find the cause of an unknown disease. The awards also recognized Christine Peterson, Kerry Huller, and Wes Watson of the Casper Star-Tribune for their series on the shrinkin...
A multidisciplinary team will deploy to Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica to measure the shape of the cavity underneath the ice shelf and determine how warm ocean water interacts with it. The goal is to understand why the glacier is accelerating and contributing to sea-level rise.
Scientists have witnessed the birth of a major iceberg on Pine Island Glacier, providing valuable insights into the natural process of glacier calving. The data collected by NASA's Operation IceBridge will help researchers better understand the dynamics of ice sheets and glaciers.
Scientists predict a faster retreat for Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier within 20 years as it detaches from an underwater ridge. The glacier's grounding line is being exposed to warm ocean currents, leading to increased melting and potential sea level rise.
A CCNY team analysis suggests the Greenland ice sheet can experience record-breaking melting even without record-high temperatures due to positive feedback mechanisms. The team's findings indicate a near-record loss of snow and ice, with melting continuing even without last year's record highs.
Scientists found significant increases in annual temperatures in south-western China, with 77% of weather stations displaying statistically significant rises. Glaciers are retreating at an alarming rate, threatening natural habitats and ecosystems.
Glacier Bay's de-glaciation reveals new stream ecosystems supporting salmon migration; overfishing in lakes may not impact fish scarcity due to anglers' priorities.
Researchers studying Lake Agassiz, a massive lake that once covered much of Canada and the US, have found evidence suggesting that increased evaporation, not outflow, caused a significant drop in water levels during the Younger Dryas cold interval. This finding provides insights into climate change and its effects on global systems.
Scientists have long hypothesized that the Pacific Ocean was a significant source of carbon dioxide during glacial times. However, a new study suggests that this may not be the case, forcing researchers to reassess their ideas about the fundamental mechanisms that regulate atmospheric carbon dioxide over long time scales.
Researchers studied arroyo cycles and canyon paleoflood records in Utah, magma formation in the Karakoram shear zone in India, and brine origin in the Alberta Basin. They found that arroyo cycles control chronologies of paleoflood sequences and that magma formation in the Karakoram shear zone provides pathways for removing magma from d...
A team of researchers has found that Greenland's Mittivakkat Glacier is melting at an unprecedented rate, with two consecutive record losses in mass observations for 2010 and 2011. The findings suggest that the glacier's mass balance has been negatively affected by higher surface temperatures and low precipitation.
Developed by Ohio State University researchers, the software improves GPS vertical accuracy in hazardous regions and can be used to measure glacier melting. Initial tests showed accurate positioning within centimeters of accuracy, with a success rate of up to 97%.
A study combining satellite data from NASA and aircraft missions has provided the clearest account yet of glacial ice surges into the sea after Antarctic ice shelves collapse. The research reveals rapid elevation decreases of over 500 feet for some glaciers, with total ice loss estimated at 11.2 gigatons per year.
A University at Buffalo study found that Jakobshavn Isbrae expanded outward at a similar pace as it retreated in recent years, supporting evidence that calving glaciers are sensitive to climate change. The glacier's growth was linked to the Little Ice Age period around 200 years ago.
Researchers found that the Slessor glacier in Antarctica has not thinned significantly since the last ice age due to a large trough in the land. This discovery will help scientists improve their understanding of how ice sheet movements affect sea levels, enabling more accurate projections of future change.
New research suggests that warming ocean layers surrounding the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets will melt underwater portions faster than previously thought. This would increase sea level rise more than already projected.
Stronger ocean currents beneath West Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier Ice Shelf are eroding the ice from below, speeding its melting. The glacier is sliding into the sea at four kilometers a year, while its ice shelf is melting at 80 cubic kilometers a year.
A team led by Dr. Marco Tedesco is tracking the lifecycle of a supraglacial lake on the Jakobshavn Isbræ glacier in Greenland. The team will study the lake's formation, drainage, and impact on glaciers' flow towards the sea.
The article discusses the complexity and influence of Alaska glaciers, highlighting the need for integrating field observations and glacier simulation models to better understand process changes. Rapid mass loss of Alaska glaciers since the mid-1990s poses a significant threat to coastal communities, particularly in developing countries.
Researchers studied sediment transfer from land to deep sea using LiDAR and cosmogenic radionuclide-derived erosion rates. They found that sediment fluxes influence landscape evolution and geochemical cycling. Additionally, unique sedimentary desiccation structures were discovered in Bahamian ooid grainstone.
Two of Greenland's largest glaciers have lost sufficient ice to equal 300 gigatons in the last decade, equivalent to seven years of normal snow accumulation. Meanwhile, Helheim glacier gained a small amount of mass over the same period, providing a high-definition picture of climate-caused changes on the island.
A new study found that melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a significant role in sea level rise. The region lost an average of 7 cubic miles of water per year, increasing dramatically to 22 cubic miles during the latter part of the study.
This new book from The Geological Society of America features detailed descriptions of eight geological field trips across eastern Ohio to the Central Appalachian Valley and Ridge. These trips highlight the region's geology, covering topics such as paleontology, history, and industrial development.
Researchers employ helium-4/helium-3 thermochronometry to reconstruct the landform history of Fiordland in New Zealand from 2.5 million years ago, finding that most valley-making occurred at downstream mouths of glaciers for the first million years and later at glacier heads.
A study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution scientists highlights the complex interaction between glacier ice, freshwater runoff, and warm ocean waters. The team found that warm waters at the base of Helheim Glacier influence glacier flow speed and melting rates.
New research suggests that hotter summers may slow down Greenland ice flow, contrary to previous fears. The internal drainage system of the ice sheet adapts to more melt-water, reducing ice speeds.
The February issue of Geology explores Patagonian glaciations, the Younger Dryas cold period, and ancient megalakes in Australia. The study provides new insights into the Rio Grande Rift's seismic activity to gain insights into past climate changes.
A new study projects that mountain glacier melt will contribute up to 12 centimeters to global sea-level increases by 2100. Glaciers in Arctic Canada and Alaska are expected to be the largest contributors.
Climate scientist Lonnie Thompson warns of impending environmental, societal, and economic consequences of climate change. He cites evidence of glacier retreat, rising sea levels, and diminished ice cover as indicators of the urgent need for action to forestall global warming's effects.