Articles tagged with Ice Sheets
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.
Scientists have identified two large subglacial lakes beneath the Antarctic ice sheet, 90ºE and Sovetskaya. These lakes are estimated to be around 2,000km2 and 1,600km2 in size, respectively, and are sealed beneath over two miles of ice.
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.
Scientists have created a detailed map of tides under Antarctic ice using the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites. The tides play a major role in measuring how much ice is melting or freezing, affecting global sea levels.
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 discover that tropical circulation changes in the Pacific Ocean, similar to El Niño, triggered a large expansion of polar ice sheets and altered Earth's climate. Local climatic changes in the tropics can produce global changes, highlighting the tropics' active role in controlling the Earth's climate.
NASA's new satellite measurements provide a reference for changes in ocean height, allowing scientists to better predict sea level rise and its causes. The data suggests that ice melting is the largest likely factor in global sea level change.
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.
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 analyzed eight Greenland ice cores to uncover the history of the North Atlantic Oscillation, a weather system controlling climate patterns in Europe and the eastern US. The study found that one core site matches historic records, providing a potential record of NAO behavior centuries earlier.
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 observed a sudden speed-up of the Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier, coinciding with rapid thinning of up to 15 meters per year after 1997. The acceleration in ice flow has significant implications for sea level rise, with this one glacier contributing roughly 4% of the 20th century rate.
A new analysis by Princeton University and Brown University scientists found that delaying action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions can result in dramatic environmental consequences. Even reaching the same target level of greenhouse gases, plans would have vastly different effects on ecosystems.
Researchers detect distinctive fold in the ice, suggesting rapid movement and 'drawn down' towards the bottom of the ice sheet thousands of years ago. The finding implies that the centre of the ice sheet is more mobile than previously thought, requiring rethinking of existing models.
Satellite data shows Antarctic glaciers speeding up by up to five times their previous speed after the Larsen B ice shelf collapse. This acceleration is linked to climate warming and could have significant effects on sea-level rise.
Professors Dick Peltier and Sir Nicholas Shackleton receive the $200,000 Vetlesen Prize for their groundbreaking contributions to understanding Earth's climate system. Their research revolutionizes scientific inquiry in climate change, with Peltier's ice sheet reconstructions becoming a standard in climate science.
Scientists found large and rapid sea-level changes during the Late Cretaceous greenhouse world, contradicting previous assumptions. The research suggests that ice sheets on Antarctica grew and decayed rapidly, significantly altering global sea levels.
The ICESat mission is measuring the surface elevations of large ice sheets covering Antarctica and Greenland, determining how they are changing. The satellite's data are helping scientists understand how life on Earth is affected by changing climate, and providing critical observations of atmospheric particles.
Scientists studying the West Antarctic Ice Sheet have found that all its ice streams have changed substantially over the last five years, with varying effects on thickness and flow rates. The changes suggest a complex picture of the WAIS's behavior, raising more questions than answers about its future impact on global sea levels.
ICESat is providing new insights into polar ice sheets and their mass-balance. The satellite detects features such as ice streams, cloud heights and aerosol distributions, enabling a better understanding of the Earth's climate.
Scientists have discovered that 'warm' glaciers can use supercooling to trap and transport silt, providing new insights into glacier dynamics. The process involves the formation of 'frazil ice,' which picks up particles from the surrounding water, creating layers of clean and dirty ice.
Researchers discovered a steady decline in the West Antarctic ice sheet over the past few thousand years, raising concerns about its future behavior. The ice sheet contains enough water to raise global sea level by 5 meters, threatening coastal regions with disastrous consequences.
The increasingly salty Mediterranean could lead to a new ice age in Canada due to changes in Atlantic circulation patterns. This is because the saltiness of the Mediterranean water makes it dense enough to sink easily, allowing warm water to replace it and keep seas south of Greenland relatively warm.
A team of scientists has discovered that an Antarctic ice stream has reversed its flow over the past 250 years, a phenomenon that may be linked to long-term climate change. The study reveals that changes in the ice sheet's configuration have led to a shift in the flow direction, potentially impacting global sea levels.
Recent research suggests that West Antarctic ice streams are experiencing normal variability, contrary to predictions of imminent shutdown and sea-level rise. The study found that local conditions, such as geothermal heat and frictional forces, drive the slowdown or speeding up of ice streams.
A team of Ohio State University researchers has drilled the longest ice core from a mountainous glacier, measuring 460 meters long and reaching back thousands of years. The discovery suggests that Mount Churchill may not have been the source of a massive volcanic ash deposit in the region.
New measurements show that Greenland ice sheet flow speeds up from 31.3 cm/day in winter to a peak of 40 cm/day in summer, correlated with surface melting timing and intensity. The observed process may have contributed to the demise of past ice sheets and could impact sea level rise.
Researchers from Oregon State University and others have found that Antarctica's ice sheets played a significant role in causing the Earth's sea level to rise by up to 70 feet in less than 500 years. This finding highlights the pressing need for better understanding of Antarctica's huge ice sheets and their stability.
Researchers at Ohio State University used satellite images to identify potential routes across the Ross Ice Shelf, avoiding deep crevasses. The identified safe corridors could enable more economical and convenient overland transport than air transport.
The Antarctic seafloor core suggests that Earth's orbital oscillations may be the key to controlling ice ages. The core shows regular intervals of ice sheet advances and retreats during a 400,000-year period, matching Milankovitch cycles.
A new study revises previous estimates of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's contribution to global sea-level rise, suggesting it may be a slower source. The ice sheet was previously estimated to add 1 millimeter per year to sea level, but new data indicates this may be an overestimation.
A study by Slawek Tulaczyk and Marion Bougamont reveals that the West Antarctic ice stream may slow down and stop moving altogether, leading to thinning and shrinking of the ice shelves. This could have dramatic consequences for global ocean circulation and climate.
A new study suggests the West Antarctic Ice Sheet's complete disintegration in 7,000 years could be inevitable due to its potential instability. The ice sheet's collapse would raise global sea levels, flooding low-lying coastal regions and posing a significant threat to global climate patterns.
An international team of scientists analyzed satellite radar measurements, finding no significant melting or instability in the West Antarctic ice sheet's middle section. The study suggests the answer to whether global warming affects its stability is no, at least for now.
Researchers discovered brief, rapid warming episodes at the end of the last Ice Age that melted glaciers and affected Great Lakes climate. These events may be linked to El Nino Southern Oscillation and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation.
Research by University of Cincinnati geologist Thomas Lowell reveals that the ice sheet advances over land marched in step with the iceberg calving events over the ocean. The findings suggest that both land and sea events are responding to global cooling, reinforcing the pattern rather than initiating the change.
A Duke University geological study proposes that earthquakes triggered the massive and puzzling swarms of icebergs believed to have separated from the Canadian ice sheet. The researchers hypothesize that periodic crustal failure along the eastern Canadian coast, caused by the growing weight of the ice sheet, led to the quakes, which th...