Articles tagged with Glaciers
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A new analysis reveals that atmospheric brown clouds over south Asia significantly contribute to observed warming, leading to the alarming retreat of Himalayan glaciers. The findings suggest that reducing air pollution could help arrest some of this melting by reducing the combined heating effect of greenhouse gases and brown clouds.
A CU-Boulder study finds that glaciers and ice caps are currently contributing about 60% of the world's ice to the oceans, with an accelerating rate of 3 cubic miles per year. The team estimates this could add up to 4-9.5 inches of additional sea level rise globally by 2100.
Ancient DNA from trees, plants, and insects in a boreal forest reveals temperatures were around 10C in summer and -17C in winter. The findings suggest the global ocean was one to two meters higher during that time compared to current levels.
Researchers Philip Mote and Georg Kaser attribute Kilimanjaro's ice decline primarily to solar radiation and sublimation, rather than atmospheric warming. The decrease in snowfall and energy absorption by the ice also contribute to its shrinking size.
New research reveals hundreds of Antarctic Peninsula glaciers are flowing faster, with a 12% increase in speed from 1993 to 2003. Climate warming is melting lower glaciers, causing them to slide faster and further contributing to sea level rise.
A NASA-led research team has measured critical areas of Greenland's ice sheet and glaciers, finding a significant loss of ice over the past several years. The data suggests that the island's major glaciers have sped up in thinning since the turn of the century, with documented changes of up to 100 feet per year.
Lonnie Thompson, a renowned glaciologist, will receive the National Medal of Science for his groundbreaking research on global climate change. His team has provided irrefutable evidence that the last half-century was the warmest period in recorded history.
Researchers found that high-altitude ice fields, like Mont Blanc and Dôme du Goûter, have remained stable in mass balance over the last 100 years. The accumulation of snow and ice has varied little since the beginning of the 20th century, indicating a lack of significant melting due to climate change.
Satellite imagery revealed a significant decline in Himalayan glacier thickness by up to 10 meters between 2000 and 2004. The research used digital field models to compare NASA and French satellite data, resulting in an average annual mass balance of -0.7 to -0.85 meters per year for the studied region.
Scientists identified four Antarctic glaciers posing a threat to future sea levels, with East and West Antarctica's glaciers retreating in unison. A 0.35mm/year sea level rise due to the two ice sheets is about 12% of the current global trend.
Researchers have created miniature lab ice spikes that resemble natural penitentes on glaciers, which could help block sunlight and slow melting. The study's findings suggest that adding a small layer of dirt to glacier surfaces may preserve them, providing a potential solution for global warming.
Researchers from French and international institutions have discovered that global warming has also affected the ice cap on Mount Everest. By analyzing air bubbles trapped in ice cores, they found a marked decrease in gas content in 20th-century ice, indicating recent increases in summer melts.
Researchers discovered a sediment wedge beneath the Whillans Ice Stream in Antarctica, which provides stability against moderate sea level rise. The wedge, eroded by moving ice sheets, helps maintain the grounding line's location despite changes in relative sea levels.
Glaciologist Lonnie Thompson warns that the Qori Kalis glacier in Peru may disappear within five years, with other ice tongues retreating globally. The Quelccaya Ice Cap, the largest body of ice in the tropics, is experiencing a slow but accelerating retreat, exceeding any other in at least 50 centuries.
Two of Greenland's largest glaciers experienced dramatic fluctuations in melting, dumping twice as much ice into the sea in less than a year before returning to near-normal rates. The sudden changes highlight the need for more accurate computer models to understand glacial behavior and predict future sea level rise.
Scientists study correlations between solar energy and global ice volume, finding inverse trends that challenge previous studies. They also investigate decomposing methane gas hydrates on the Arctic Shelf, suggesting a possible link to pingos and subsidence.
A new University of Colorado at Boulder study finds that small glaciers and ice caps are the largest contributors to global sea rise, with over half of the estimated 650 billion tons of ice lost annually coming from these sources. The study's results run contrary to public perception focusing on Antarctica and Greenland.
Researchers found a recent increase in winter temperatures and cooling of summer temperatures, leading to glacier growth in higher mountain regions. This trend impacts the water availability for irrigation, with the vast Indus Basin Irrigation System supporting 170,000 square kilometers of land.
Researchers found Alpine glaciers lost 35% of surface area between 1850-1970, with potential disappearance by 2100 under 3 degree Celsius warming. Meanwhile, weekly wobble in Earth's rotation pole was observed and predicted using atmospheric models, explaining centimeter-level displacements during the 2005-2006 winter season.
A study predicts Alpine glaciers could disappear within the century due to rising temperatures and precipitation changes. The majority of glacier cover is expected to be lost if summer air temperature increases by three degrees Celsius, with only the largest glaciers surviving in the 22nd century.
A study of tropical ice cores found two significant climate shifts: one around 5,000 years ago when temperatures cooled, and another more recent reversal to a warmer world. The research suggests most high-altitude glaciers in tropical regions will disappear in the near future due to rising temperatures.
Researchers use digital maps to examine flood landscapes and calculate energy and mechanisms needed to generate shapes. Outburst floods pose a major hazard in mountainous areas, with global warming expected to alter flood sizes and frequencies.
A new study found that most of the Earth began warming at the same time around 17,500 years ago, despite Greenland remaining in a deep-freeze for 2,500 years. This finding is consistent with temperature records and global atmospheric CO2 records from Antarctica.
A study by the University of Alberta and international partners reveals that past changes in solar radiation have already affected tropical glaciers. Future climate change poses a significant threat to water resources in these regions, as high-altitude glaciers continue to melt rapidly.
The Rwenzori Mountains, home to one of four remaining tropical ice fields outside the Andes, are experiencing substantial reduction in glacial cover due to increasing air temperature over the last four decades. Glaciers are receding tens of meters each year, with less than one square kilometer of glacier ice remaining.
The Rwenzori Mountains' glaciers are receding at a rate of tens of meters per year, halving their area between 1987 and 2003. The researchers expect the remaining ice to disappear within twenty years due to increased air temperature without significant changes in precipitation.
According to a NASA scientist, warmer water temperatures are increasing melting and accelerating ice flow in polar areas. The warming is primarily limited to the upper 1000 meters of the oceans, but has a deeper effect on the North Atlantic waters, where it has increased the melting of sea ice.
Scientists have detected a significant increase in glacier quakes and calving events in Greenland, suggesting that the ice is accelerating towards the sea. The researchers hypothesize that the ice is slipping on growing pockets of meltwater, which could be triggered by calving events or stick-slip processes.
Scientists have found that glacier melting in polar regions is causing a rise in seismic activity, with glacial earthquakes occurring most commonly in summer months. This phenomenon is linked to the movement of massive glaciers and their response to climate change.
Scientists detect a seasonal pattern in glacial earthquakes in Greenland, with over one-third occurring during July and August. The increased frequency of these events may be a response to global warming, with significant implications for climate change.
Recent increases in glacier speed on Greenland are responsible for more than two-thirds of the country's contribution to sea level rise. The southern half of Greenland is reacting to climate warming, while the northern half may follow suit, potentially increasing global sea levels.
The ice fields on Kilimanjaro are losing up to 50% of their surface area in just five years, with the northern ice field expected to disappear within two years. This rapid melting threatens local water supplies, which rely on glacier meltwater and precipitation from surrounding rainforests.
Researchers found that tropical glaciers on Mars were formed from snow brought from the polar regions, similar to Earth's mountainous regions. This discovery sheds light on past climate changes on Mars and potential pockets of ice scattered across the planet.
A recent study found that glaciers in Pacific North America underwent a regionally-extensive expansion during the first millennium AD, contradicting previous assumptions about past glacier activity. This discovery suggests that regional climate cycles have cycled from warmer to colder intervals several times over the last 10,000 years.
Researchers have found that a large swath of territory in the Northeast is slowly moving southward in relation to the rest of the continent. This region is recovering from the weight of ancient glaciers and has long been known to be rising slowly due to their retreat.
Using a new geochemical tool, researchers documented how fast glaciers eroded the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, finding rates six times faster than rivers and landslides. Glaciers scraped at least 2 kilometers of rock from mountains around 1.8 million years ago, shaping the landscape.
The glacier has reached the midpoint of its projected retreat, with a shrinking length of 9 miles since 1980. The glacier's rapid retreat is attributed to complex physical processes and warming trends, resulting in an annual discharge of nearly 2 cubic miles of ice into the Prince William Sound.
The Mosaic map reveals subtle changes in terrain that indicate the direction ice is flowing now and where it has gone in the past. The digital elevation model complements this view with elevation measurements over more of the continent than ever surveyed before, yielding new information about how topography drives ice flow.
A Scripps-led study finds that climate warming will shrink key water supplies around the world, affecting millions. Glacier-dependent regions like China, India, and parts of South America are particularly vulnerable to vanishing glaciers, which will lead to costly disruptions in water supply and resource management systems.
Scientists studying the Helheim glacier in Greenland found it has sped up from 70 feet per day to nearly 110 feet per day, thinning by over 130 feet since 2001. This accelerated melting could have dramatic implications for climate models and increase sea level rise.
Researchers warn that the breakdown of major ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica could significantly speed up sea level rise, potentially doubling current projections. The study suggests that these mechanisms should be carefully considered in future climate models to ensure accurate sea level rise predictions.
New research reveals that Mars' mid-latitude glaciers are similar to those on Earth, with features such as lineated valley fill and debris arcs. The findings suggest that Mars is experiencing ongoing climate shifts, allowing ice to leave the poles and accumulate at lower latitudes.
A University of Colorado study found that freeze-dried microbial mats in an Antarctic streambed revived quickly after water was reintroduced, demonstrating the persistence and adaptability of life in extreme environments. The research, led by Professor Diane McKnight, sheds light on the resilience of microorganisms in polar ecosystems.
Researchers found that small glaciers in Northern California are remaining stable due to higher precipitation rates. This anomaly highlights the need for further study on glacier behavior and provides insight into climate variability over thousands of years.
New research models long-term climate cycles like El Nino, finds molten rock makes big earthquakes bigger, and sheds light on Yellowstone's volcanic activity. A computer simulation produced El Nino-like climate cycles, while another study found that melted rock accelerates plate movement during earthquakes.
The Antarctic Peninsula glaciers have been in widespread retreat over the past 50 years, with most glaciers shrinking rapidly. However, 32 glaciers are showing minor advance. The study suggests that warming is the key cause of this change.
A new study found that 87% of the 244 marine glaciers have retreated over the last 50 years, with the trend moving southward from the warmer northern tip of the peninsula. The glacier retreat is linked to atmospheric temperature increases, and may affect sea level rise if ice shelves continue to break up.
A study by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution researchers finds that variations in the Earth's axis tilt control the timing of glaciations, acting as a planetary pacemaker. The researchers developed a simple model to analyze the effects of changes in tilt on climate belts and seasons.
Scientists analyze Mars Express images to find evidence of ancient glaciers, including flow features and glacial moraines. The study suggests a significant climate change on Mars within the last million years, which could be caused by a shift in the polar axis.
Recent Martian glaciers and volcanoes suggest ice-rich movement and climate change, with evidence of a major eruption over 350,000 years ago. This new research challenges the traditional view of Mars' geological history and provides fresh insights into the planet's dynamic evolution.
Researchers have found that Canada's Arctic ice caps and glaciers are thinning at lower elevations due to increased melting. The study suggests that these changes contribute significantly to global sea level rise, with an estimated 0.065 millimeters per year added to sea levels during the 1995-2000 period.
Research suggests Arctic sea ice is shrinking, contradicting current climate models. Mountain glaciers are also losing mass due to temperature changes, raising concerns about sea level rise.
Researchers measured ancient moraine crests to determine past movement on the Karakorum fault, revealing a significant right-lateral motion. The study's findings provide crucial insights into the Asian continent's movement and the collision of India and Asia.
A catastrophic flood from ancient Glacial Lake Iroquois may have triggered the Intra-Allerod Cold Period and the Younger Dryas cold climate event. The team analyzed sediment cores, walrus fossils, and pollen to precisely date the discharge of freshwater into the North Atlantic.
Research at Ohio State University suggests that global climate changed dramatically 5,200 years ago, with severe impacts on emerging cultures. The team found evidence of sudden and severe climate shifts in ice cores, tree rings, and plant pollen records from around the world.
Researchers found plant samples dating back at least 50,000 years, suggesting the ice cap's current size may not have changed in that time. The discovery implies a possible decrease in global climate change over the past 50,000 years.
Scientists have found significant acceleration in the world's fastest glacier, Jakobshavn Isbrae, which nearly doubled its discharge of ice between 1997 and 2003. Meanwhile, Arctic sea ice has been declining at an alarming rate, with some areas experiencing 9.2% per decade decline.
A research team has found evidence of microbes living in a rock glacier for the first time, challenging previous assumptions about these environments. The discovery was made in Colorado and is similar to recent findings in Antarctica, where scientists had previously discovered life in inhospitable regions.
Scientists are using NASA's ICESat satellite to measure the height of dynamic features such as ice sheets, glaciers, forests, and clouds. The satellite's laser instruments provide unprecedented accuracy in measuring changes in elevation, including accelerated glacier movement in Antarctica and thinner ice on West Antarctic ice sheet.
Researchers found sharks can detect geomagnetic field changes, which may aid navigation. This discovery builds upon previous studies on bird navigation.