Articles tagged with Ice Sheets
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.
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 are flying a suite of scientific instruments over Antarctica's land and sea ice to study changes in key features like Pine Island Glacier. The mission aims to build a record of change and understand how ice sheets contribute to sea-level rise.
A new coral dating method developed by WHOI researcher William G. Thompson provides accurate age estimates for fossil coral reef skeletons in the Bahamas, revealing that sea levels were less stable than previously believed. The study suggests that a similar scenario to the Last Interglacial could occur if current warming trends continue.
A study published in Science found that the last interglacial period saw less melting in Greenland and more in Antarctica than previously thought. The researchers used sediment analysis to estimate past ice sheet behavior and improve future projections.
A University of Arizona-led team found that rising sea levels during the Last Interglacial Period were primarily driven by melting ice sheets, rather than thermal expansion. The study suggests that even small amounts of warming may have committed to more ice sheet melting, and sea levels will continue to rise for a long time.
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.
A new study from Rice University and Louisiana State University reveals the Antarctic Peninsula was ice-free and forested during its warmest period 55 million years ago. The research provides a detailed reconstruction of the climatic history of the peninsula, shedding light on how the continent's ice sheets formed and evolved over time.
Scientists have created the first high-resolution topographic map of the Aurora Subglacial Basin, revealing vast channels cut through mountain ranges by ancient glaciers. The data will help improve computer simulations of past and future Antarctic ice sheet behavior.
Researchers found that freshwater from melting ice sheets can weaken climate-controlling ocean currents, leading to dramatic climate change. The study's results suggest a future ice sheet collapse would have significant climatic consequences.
Researchers found that the accretion of microcontinental blocks significantly affects continental growth, with potentially greater early crust than estimated. Paleosol analysis revealed optimal water-holding potential and fertility levels for subtropical soils from the late Cretaceous period.
Researchers found that refrozen ice makes up 24% of the ice sheet base around Dome A, with rates of refreezing greater than surface accumulation rates. This discovery reshapes understanding of how the ice sheet expands and moves, and its potential reaction to a warming climate.
A set of maps created by the University of Sheffield have illustrated the pattern and speed of shrinkage of the large ice sheet that covered the British Isles during the last Ice Age. The maps use new information on glacial landforms, such as moraines and drumlins, to predict future ice losses in Greenland and Antarctica.
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.
A new study reveals that the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced its highest melting event in 2010, breaking records by up to 50 days. This unusual phenomenon was attributed to extreme temperatures and reduced snowfall during the summer months, which exposed bare ice earlier than usual.
A new study from UBC finds that sudden changes in meltwater volume contribute more to the acceleration of the Greenland ice sheet than gradual warming. The ice sheet's flow is influenced by complex fluid dynamics and can be accelerated by short-term weather extremes, not just gradual temperature increases.
Researchers discover that meltwater flowing through ice sheet interiors can warm the ice rapidly, accelerating its response to climate change. This faster-than-expected process could increase ice flows on ice sheets much faster than previously thought.
New research suggests that dramatic climate changes during the ice age were caused by chaos-dynamical fluctuations, making them challenging to predict. The study analyzed ice cores and found that temperature suddenly rose 10-15 degrees in less than 10 years, only to fall drastically and change again.
A team of scientists from 14 countries has successfully drilled through a mile and half of the Greenland ice sheet in search of climate change insights. The ice core samples may offer valuable information about how the world can change during periods of abrupt warming.
Researchers from NASA and the Byrd Polar Research Center report that a 7 square kilometer section of the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier broke up on July 6 and 7, with the calving front retreating nearly 1.5 kilometers in one day. This event is unusual due to its rapid detection and fine detail.
Researchers use radar and camera data to reconstruct the formation of two enigmatic features in Mars' northern ice cap: a massive canyon and spiral troughs. Wind erosion is found to be the primary force shaping these complex structures, revealing a detailed climate history.
Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute have developed a novel vibroseismic measurement method to investigate the internal structure of Antarctic ice shelves. This technique allows for more efficient and environmentally friendly data collection, enabling better forecasts of future sea level changes.
Researchers recovered core samples from Antarctica, revealing a 53-million-year history of ice formation and interaction with climate. The findings provide crucial insights into the transition from a warm, greenhouse world to an icy 'icehouse' environment.
Research on Martian impact craters reveals a complex geologic history involving liquid water, ice, volcanism, tectonism, and aeolian processes. Additionally, studies of floods from Pleistocene Glacial Lake Missoula and volcanic activity in Guatemala provide insights into Earth's crust formation and plate tectonic processes.
A new study finds that the Greenland ice sheet is losing mass on its northwest coast, with uplift rates increasing by 1.5 inches from 2005 to 2009. This acceleration in ice loss suggests that glaciers are sliding downhill faster and dumping more ice in the ocean, contributing to global sea-level rise.
Researchers studying supra-glacial lakes on the Greenland ice sheet seek to understand their role in shaping the ice sheet's topography. The lakes form when melting water collects in pools in the lower levels of the ice sheet, and drain rapidly through cracks in the ice.
The study found that changes in the Bering Strait affected ocean currents, causing summer temperatures to oscillate between warmer and colder phases in North America and Greenland. This led to dramatic tipping points for climate patterns, especially in the Arctic.
A new study finds that Earth's polar ice sheets are susceptible to significant melting under moderate global warming scenarios, potentially leading to a 6-9 meter sea level rise. This could result in permanent submersion of low-lying coastal areas and hundreds of millions of people being displaced.
Researchers studying Greenland's glaciers have discovered that meltwater plays a more complex role in ice loss than previously thought. Water flowing beneath the ice contributes to ice loss through fast-moving outlet glaciers, but its effect is negligible overall.
A new study confirms the Greenland ice sheet is losing mass at an accelerating rate, primarily driven by accelerated iceberg production and increased surface meltwater. The research suggests this trend is likely to continue in the near future, with significant implications for global sea level rise.
A new research project will drill through a half-mile of ice to penetrate subglacial Lake Whillans, studying hidden processes that govern the dynamics of the West Antarctic ice sheet. The team aims to develop predictive models of polar melting and understand how subglacial lakes influence ice motion.
A NASA DC-8 aircraft will conduct six-week flights over West Antarctica to image the ice sheets and estimate future sea-level rises. The mission aims to understand the rapid Antarctic melting and its impact on global climate change.
A new coastland map produced by Durham University scientists charts the post Ice-Age tilt of the UK and Ireland, revealing areas at high risk of sea-level rises. The map helps local authorities target resources to areas where sea level rises will be greatest, saving money on defenses.
Satellite lasers have created a comprehensive picture of rapidly thinning glaciers along the coastline of both Antarctica and Greenland. The most profound ice loss is attributed to glaciers accelerating as they flow into the sea, with this phenomenon now reaching all latitudes in Greenland and intensifying on key Antarctic coastlines.
Researchers have analyzed ice cores from Greenland and small ice caps to show the evolution of the ice sheet over 11,700 years. The findings reveal that changes in elevation cause different temperatures, allowing scientists to use small ice caps as a standard reference for climate history.
A new model of Britain's Ice Sheet reveals it reversed its flow back up valleys, creating unique 'drumlins' along the A66 road through Eden Valley and Lake District lowlands. The ice sheet flowed downhill initially but complex flow directions switched significantly over short timescales.
A team of scientists has confirmed a major link between declining CO2 levels and the formation of Antarctica's ice caps. The study found that atmospheric CO2 levels reached a tipping point of around 760 parts per million when the Antarctic ice sheet began to form.
Researchers used NASA's ICESat satellite data to create the most comprehensive inventory of Antarctic lakes that actively drain or fill under ice. The study revealed a continental plumbing system more dynamic than previously thought, with 124 active lakes identified and linked to nearby and distant locations.
The North Greenland Eemian Ice Drilling project, led by the University of Copenhagen, has reached a depth of 5,767 feet in early August, recovering over a mile of ice core. The project aims to retrieve ice from the last interglacial episode, providing valuable information on past temperatures and precipitation levels.
Researchers have found that slight shifts in solar radiation caused by Earth's rotation and axis are linked to the demise of ice ages. The study, published in Science, confirms a theory developed over 50 years ago and provides a more precise understanding of how ice sheets melt in response to radiative forcing mechanisms.
Scientists from British Antarctic Survey and University of Durham describe a new 3D map created from radar measurements, revealing features in the landscape beneath a vast river of ice. The study provides insight into how ice streams behave and how they might change in the future.
A new record reveals a systematic equilibrium relationship between global temperature and CO2 concentrations and sea-level changes over the last five glacial cycles. This suggests that even stabilisation at today's CO2 levels may commit us to sea-level rise, potentially exceeding long-term projections.
A study of a prehistoric Canadian Arctic glacier found it rapidly retreated in just a few hundred years, demonstrating the phenomenon's occurrence. This rapid retreat could lead to sharply rising global sea levels and threaten coastal populations if similar conditions recur today.
Scientists have created a high-resolution climate record from ocean sediment dating back over 500,000 years, revealing four glacial cycles and the warming of North Atlantic waters. The record provides valuable insights into the extent of ancient ice sheets and their impact on ocean currents.
A recent study published in Hydrological Processes reveals that the Greenland ice sheet is a major contributor to sea-level rise, accounting for nearly 25% of global sea-rise in the past 13 years. The study also shows that seas are rising at a rate of over 3 millimeters per year, more than 50% faster than the average for the 20th century.
New research suggests that moderate to high rates of ice melt from Greenland may shift ocean circulation by about 2100, causing sea levels off the northeast coast of North America to rise by 30-51 centimeters (12-20 inches) more than other coastal areas. This could lead to significant impacts on major northeastern cities.
Research suggests that moderate to high Greenland ice melt rates could drive 4-12 inches of additional water towards heavily populated areas in the northeastern US and Canada, on top of average global sea level rise. This could lead to significant impacts on the northeast US coast by 2100.
Scientists estimate that the collapse of West Antarctica's ice sheet would raise global sea levels by 3.3 meters, not five or six as previously thought. The region's unique below-sea level topography makes it more prone to instability.
A new study found that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's collapse would raise global sea levels by only 3.3 meters, not the previously estimated 5-6 meters, with US coastal areas experiencing a 25% increase in sea level rise, posing significant threats to cities like New York and San Francisco.
Scientists capture the most comprehensive set of sonar images of Antarctica's seafloor around the Amundsen Sea embayment, providing new insights into past ice flow and potential future sea-level rise. The findings indicate that the controlling mechanisms of the Antarctic ice sheet are more complex than previously thought.
Scientists are conducting airborne field campaigns in the Arctic to study Greenland and Iceland ice sheets and their sea ice and glaciers. NASA's ICESat spacecraft is also completing a seasonal survey of the world's ice sheets to gauge changes in ice thickness and mass.