Articles tagged with Ice Sheets
Researchers found that an ice sheet on West Antarctica existed 20 million years earlier than believed, growing at the start of a global transition to cool icehouse climate. This discovery contradicts previous assumptions and sheds light on the history of Earth's great global ice sheets.
Researchers use airborne radar data to uncover a 750km-long, meandering river channel beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. The canyon is thought to predate the ice sheet and played a crucial role in transporting sub-glacial meltwater into the Arctic Ocean.
A massive canyon hidden under a mile of ice has been discovered in Greenland, stretching over 460 miles and reaching depths of 2,600 feet. The feature is thought to be ancient, pre-dating the current ice sheet, and plays a crucial role in transporting sub-glacial meltwater.
Researchers found a negative correlation between gravity and topography signals on Titan, attributed to large roots extending into the ocean beneath the ice shell. The study suggests that Titan's ice shell is rigid and at least 40 kilometers thick.
Researchers employed a unique approach to study the Greenland ice sheet, discovering that current models may not accurately predict its movement. The team found that as the ice sheet accelerates, it opens up space between the ice and bedrock, expanding the drainage network.
Computer modeling reveals that melt-water lubrication will contribute only 8mm to sea-level rise by 2200, less than 5% of total projected contribution from Greenland ice sheet. Melting water can actually lead to a lowering of sea-level in some cases.
The Greenland ice sheet is losing about 227 gigatonnes of ice per year, contributing to sea level rise. Researchers have coupled an ice/climate model with a thermo-mechanical model to accurately depict the ice sheet's dynamics and temperature changes.
Researchers used computer simulations to demonstrate that ice-age/warm-period interchange depends on the alternating influence of continental ice sheets and climate. The team found that large-scale glaciation alters sea levels and ocean currents, affecting the climate.
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet repeatedly melted back several hundred miles inland during the Pliocene Epoch, with carbon dioxide levels similar to today's. The study suggests that the region's low-lying topography made the overlying ice sheet susceptible to melting, leading to significant rises in global sea level.
Scientists discovered ancient melting of East Antarctic ice sheet 5-3 million years ago during Pliocene Epoch, causing sea levels to rise 20 meters. This finding provides insights into future sea level rise due to global warming.
A new study estimates that global sea levels will rise 2.3 meters over the next several thousand years for every degree Celsius the planet warms. The four major contributors to sea-level rise on a global scale are melting of glaciers, Greenland ice sheet, Antarctic ice sheet, and ocean expansion as it warms.
The study highlights the need for continuous satellite monitoring to better predict melting and sea-level rise. The ice sheets covering Antarctica and Greenland contain 99.5% of the Earth's glacier ice, with a potential raise of 63m if melted completely.
The study found that Greenland's ice sheets are losing significant amounts of ice at a rate of about 300 billion tons per year. The accelerated loss of ice mass is attributed to both anthropogenic warming and natural processes such as variations in snowfall and ocean currents.
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 analyzed newly discovered ice-age deposits from Garwood Valley to understand the rise and collapse of Antarctic ice sheets. They also studied the geological history of granite emplacement and glacial evolution in Death Valley, California.
A new dataset called Bedmap2 offers a clearer picture of Antarctica, providing valuable information on ice thickness and bedrock depth. The improvement in resolution, coverage, and precision will lead to more accurate calculations of ice volume and sea level rise.
A new study led by the University of Pennsylvania reveals that the New Jersey coast has experienced a 10,000-year record of continuous sea-level rise, with varying rates of increase over time. The research suggests that climate change may trigger catastrophic melting of ice sheets, leading to higher rates of sea-level rise and increasi...
Researchers from Syracuse University argue that the Earth's mantle plays a significant role in shaping the coastline and estimating long-term sea-level rise. The team's findings suggest that the shoreline has been uplifted by over 210 feet, indicating less ice melting than expected.
Researchers found ancient shorelines can be pushed up by Earth's hot mantle, making them appear higher now than they originally were millions of years ago. This challenges the previous assumption that high shoreline heights reflect ice sheet collapse and suggests the ice sheets may have been more stable in the past.
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.
GROVER will collect measurements to study how snow accumulates on the ice sheet, adding layer upon layer over time. The robot carries a ground-penetrating radar to detect the layer of the ice sheet formed after an extreme melt event.
Detailed mapping of the Kima'Kho tuya in northern British Columbia shows that the ancient regional ice sheet through which it erupted was twice as thick as previously estimated. This discovery could provide new constraints on paleoclimate models, advancing our understanding of glaciovolcanic eruptions and their impact.
Researchers tracked increasing melt rates since 1979 but July 2012 event was unusually large, prompting study on low-level clouds. Thin clouds allowed solar energy to pass through, trapping heat and pushing temperatures above freezing, contributing to record-breaking ice melt.
Researchers from Princeton University have developed a novel framework to project the mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet, incorporating uncertainty and expert judgments. This approach provides a comprehensive baseline that can be improved over time, offering a more informative projection of future sea levels.
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.
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.
Researchers studying ice sheet movement in Greenland and Antarctica have found that warming temperatures cause sea levels to rise. The speed of ice shelf movement has nearly doubled in recent years, leading to increased sea level rises and uncertainty about future projections.
A new study analyzing Greenland ice cores suggests that melting of the Antarctic ice sheet may have contributed more to sea-level rise than the Greenland ice sheet around 100,000 years ago. The research findings indicate a warmer-than-expected climate during the Eemian interglacial period, with surface temperatures about 8 degrees Cels...
A new study using a 2,540-metre long Greenland ice core has reconstructed the island's temperature and ice sheet extent during the last interglacial period, known as the Eemian period. The research found that the warmest temperatures were about 8°C degrees warmer than average over the past 1,000 years.
A new study analyzing ice cores from the Greenland ice sheet found that between 130,000 and 115,000 years ago, the climate rose to about 14 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than today. This past warm period may serve as a 'road map' for future warming due to increasing greenhouse gases.
New research from the NEEM project in Greenland reveals that the Eemian period was around 8 degrees C warmer than today, with global sea levels four to eight meters higher. The ice sheet was less than half the total sea-level rise during this period.
Researchers used structured expert elicitation to assess future sea level rise from ice sheets, predicting a 29cm median estimate by 2100. The study's findings suggest a conceivable risk of a rise of greater than 1m by 2100, with uncertainties surrounding the cause of recent ice sheet mass loss.
GEOLOGY articles reveal high-resolution images of Mercury's surface, further study of giant gypsum crystals in Naica Cave, and the provenance of North Atlantic ice-rafted debris. The publication also covers various geophysical studies, including the impact of the Galápagos hotspot on the East Pacific Rise.
Researchers from the University of Gothenburg have made new observations that show ice sheet mass in West Antarctica is melting faster than expected. The study suggests a clear reduction in ice mass, particularly around glaciers in the Amundsen Sea, caused by warm sea water penetrating beneath the ice.
Researchers have found evidence of smoke from Arctic wildfires drifting over the Greenland ice sheet, darkening its surface and increasing the likelihood of melting. The soot from these fires can capture the sun's heat, accelerating the melting process.
The study finds that the combined rate of ice sheet melting is increasing, with Antarctica and Greenland losing more than three times as much ice as in the 1990s. The new research confirms that both polar regions are losing ice, contrary to earlier uncertainty.
An international team of satellite experts has produced the most accurate assessment of ice losses from Antarctica and Greenland to date, confirming both regions are losing ice. The study reveals that melting of the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets has contributed significantly to global sea level rise over the past two decades.
A new international study has reconciled measurements of ice sheet changes in Antarctica and Greenland, providing a more consistent estimate of their contribution to sea-level rise. The results show that the planet's two largest ice sheets have been losing ice faster during the past decade, causing widespread concern.
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.
Scientists predict that Greenland's ice sheet will lose more ice and snow to melting than it will accumulate over the next century due to warming temperatures. Basins on the southwest and north coasts will suffer the greatest losses, with temperatures only needing to increase by 0.6-2.16C for net loss.
Researchers at Durham University found that channel width plays a crucial role in controlling ice stability and rate of mass loss from ice sheets and glaciers. The study's simulation of past ice-sheet retreat and collapse over a ten thousand year period in Antarctica provides new light on what makes ice stable or unstable.
A new study predicts that sea levels will continue to rise for thousands of years due to irreversible warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions. The research suggests that the Earth's ice sheets and oceans will contribute significantly to this rise, with a possible increase of up to 6.8 meters in the next thousand years.
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.
The Greenland ice sheet has broken the seasonal record for melting, with cumulative melting exceeding the 2010 record four weeks before the close of the melting season. The extreme melting detected in mid-July did not contribute to sea-level rise, but rather lubricated the base of the ice sheet and sped its slide toward the sea.
The study found that the ice sheet has retreated and stabilized in the past, challenging current models and computer calculations. The researchers used aerial photos from the 80s and satellite data to analyze the thinning of the ice sheet over 30 years.
Researchers have observed a dramatic increase in Greenland's ice sheet surface melting, with nearly the entire ice cover experiencing melting. The melting event was linked to an unusually strong heat dome over Greenland, causing temperatures to hover above freezing for several hours.
Researchers at the University of Bristol used climate and ice sheet models to identify the cause of rapid sea level rise in the past. They found that a process called 'saddle-collapse' led to two major events, including the 14,600-year-old Meltwater pulse 1a event, which resulted in a 9m sea level rise.
Harvard scientists have developed a method to identify 'sea level fingerprints,' patterns of variation in sea level changes that can indicate the source of water contributing to rising sea levels. Using a Kalman smoother, researchers can determine where glacial melting is occurring and estimate its contribution to global sea level rise.
This Geosphere special issue delves into the formation and transport of ancient oceanic rocks in southeastern Yukon, Canada. New techniques are also employed to study flat-topped seafloor mounds beneath the Ross Sea, which may be of volcanic origin.
A team of scientists has uncovered a previously unknown sub-glacial basin beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, suggesting this region is at higher risk of collapse. The basin's unique shape and smooth bed could trigger positive feedback mechanisms leading to ice sheet retreat.
Researchers developed a novel method to distinguish sea-level fingerprints from various processes, allowing for more accurate estimation of individual ice sheets' contributions to rising global sea levels. The new approach may help estimate the current rate of sea level rise and rates of ice sheet melting simultaneously.
Researchers found a rapid sea-level rise of ~14m following the onset of the first warm period of deglaciation. Coral samples from Tahiti's reefs provide valuable insights into past sea-level changes and inform climate modeling.
The NRC report highlights accelerated global warming in the Arctic and Antarctica, with serious retreat of ice sheets and rising sea levels. Researchers emphasize the urgent need for balancing energy needs with addressing climate change.
A new study suggests the Greenland ice sheet may melt completely within 500 years under 8 degrees Celsius global warming, while a 2-degree limit would take 50,000 years to achieve. The melting could accelerate due to feedbacks between climate and the ice sheet, with significant consequences for sea levels.
A 2010 temperature spike accelerated ice loss in southern Greenland, lifting bedrock an additional quarter of an inch. GPS measurements indicate that the amount of uplift differed by station location, with closer stations rising more.
Research suggests the Earth's paleoclimate history indicates a more sensitive climate than thought, with temperatures far exceeding the Eemian period if global warming is not abated. A 2°C warming target could lead to drastic changes, including multiple meters of sea level rise and significant ice sheet loss in Greenland and Antarctica.
A recent study published in Science reveals that the Antarctic and Arctic ice sheets experienced simultaneous melting 19,000 years ago. This finding suggests that Antarctica was not as climatically isolated as previously thought, with the two hemispheres reacting more closely to climate change.
A recent study found that a drop in carbon dioxide led to the Antarctic ice sheet's formation, with levels below 600 parts per million triggering cooling and ice sheet initiation. The team pinpointed this threshold in ancient algae samples from deep-sea cores, suggesting carbon dioxide's importance in past and future climate.