Articles tagged with Ice Sheets
A Danish-led project, EGRIP, will drill a 2½-kilometer deep ice core through northeast Greenland's large ice stream to gain new knowledge about the speed of ice movement and its contribution to rapid loss of the Greenland ice sheet. This information could improve forecasts of future sea level rise.
A new international study finds that glacier movement in the Southern Hemisphere is primarily influenced by sea surface temperature and atmospheric carbon dioxide rather than changes in the Earth's orbit. The results contradict the Milankovitch theory of climate, which suggests orbital fluctuations drive ice sheet expansion in the Nort...
A new study suggests that Antarctic glaciers are more sensitive to climate change than previously thought due to Coulomb friction. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet's melting rate is significantly increased when accounting for frictional stresses, which can lead to accelerated sea-level rise.
Scientists studied lake cores in Greenland to understand the ice sheet's response to a warm period 8,000-5,000 years ago. They found that during this time, the ice sheet was losing mass at a rate of 100 Gigaton per year, delivering an equivalent 16 cm of global sea-level rise.
Researchers suggest that human dispersal into southern Asia via Arabia was linked to changing climate and environmental conditions, with increased rainfall supporting populations. The Al Sibetah alluvial fan sequence provides a unique record of landscape change in southeast Arabia, revealing multiple humid episodes during glacial periods.
A Cornell University study reveals that surface meltwater can fill subglacial lakes beneath the ice sheet, providing heat to its bottom. This process could accelerate ice flow and alter the Greenland Ice Sheet's response to climate change.
Researchers have discovered two sub-glacial lakes beneath the ice in Greenland that have rapidly drained away, filling and emptying twice in a matter of years. The sudden disappearance of these lakes raises concerns about the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet and its potential impact on global sea levels.
A new study by Penn State geoscientists suggests that the Greenland Ice Sheet is melting at a faster rate due to rising temperatures, with potential global sea level rise of up to 24 feet. The study's findings highlight the importance of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to mitigate this effect and protect vulnerable communities.
Researchers estimate that 50% more organic carbon will be exported in glacier outflow over the next 35 years, equivalent to half of the Mississippi River's annual organic carbon influx. This increase has major implications for high-latitude marine ecosystems, particularly those surrounding ice sheets.
A new study reveals a vast network of little-understood rivers and streams on Greenland's ice sheet, which could contribute significantly to sea-level rise. The researchers found that the Isortoq River's discharge was 25% less than predicted by climate models.
A new UCLA-led study reveals a vast network of little-understood rivers and streams flowing on top of the Greenland ice sheet, potentially responsible for at least as much sea-level rise as other sources combined. The research found that meltwater from these waterways can flush their entire volume in less than two days, contributing to...
Fossil corals on Seychelles islands suggest rapid Antarctic ice sheet retreat led to sea-level rise around 125,000 years ago. The study suggests the Antarctic ice sheet may partially collapse again due to warming temperatures.
Researchers at Ohio State University have created publicly available elevation maps of the Greenland Ice Sheet using high-resolution satellite images. The software, SETSM, allows for detailed tracking of the ice sheet's changes, including cracks that indicate accelerated melting.
A massive study provides the first detailed look at how Greenland's ice is vanishing, revealing that current ice sheet modeling studies are too simplistic to accurately predict future changes. The research suggests that the Greenland Ice Sheet may lose ice more rapidly in the near future than previously thought.
Scientists using NASA data have produced a comprehensive study of the Greenland Ice Sheet's hidden plumbing and melt water flow. The research suggests that current ice sheet modeling is too simplistic to accurately predict future ice loss, and may underestimate contributions to sea level rise.
Scientists simulate the future distribution of 'supraglacial' lakes on Greenland's ice sheet, predicting they will migrate farther inland over the next half century. This could alter the ice sheet flow in dramatic ways, leading to increased melting and potential sea-level rise.
Researchers discovered a vast network of lakes and rivers at the Gamburtsev Mountains' base, preserved by thick ice. The study explains how the blanket of ice has halted erosion, stalling aging of the mountains at higher elevations.
Researchers found that changing ice sheet height affects global climate differently from freshwater influx alone, with warming sea surfaces and regional changes observed. The study suggests that the role of topography in Heinrich events may be more significant than previously thought.
Researchers from the Niels Bohr Institute have calculated a worst-case scenario for sea level rise, predicting a maximum of 1.8 meters by the end of this century. The study combines IPCC estimates with expert community data, indicating a likelihood of less than 5% for sea levels exceeding 180cm.
Iceberg scour marks on sea floor indicate meltwater and iceberg movement as far south as Miami and southern Florida. Researchers used high-resolution numerical models to simulate glacial meltwater floods, showing that massive icebergs could have drifted along the east coast of the United States.
Researchers found that Antarctic ocean temperature layering, similar to conditions 14,000 years ago, may lead to rapid collapse of glaciers and ice shelves, causing a steep rise in global sea levels. This stratification is caused by global warming adding freshwater to the ocean surface.
A research team drilled and measured melt rates and ice sheet movement in Greenland, finding that subglacial channels are less important than previously thought. Changes in hydraulically isolated regions of the bed control the evolution of subglacial drainage over summer.
Researchers directly observed multiple parts of Greenland's subglacial plumbing system and found that it adapts to increased meltwater over the course of the summer season. The findings suggest that a component of the system is changing in response to climate change, potentially slowing down the ice sheet's movement towards the sea.
Researchers have produced detailed maps of bedrock beneath glaciers in Greenland and Antarctica with NASA's support, helping to project future changes to ice sheets and sea level. The data will aid computer models used for glacier projection.
The Greenland Ice Sheet is more sensitive to climate change due to the role of soft ground beneath it, which affects its dynamics and leads to increased ice loss. This study reveals that the ice sheet is vulnerable not only to warming temperatures but also to extreme meteorological events like heavy rainfall and heat waves.
Researchers have mapped elevation changes in both Greenland and Antarctica using satellite data, revealing the ice sheets are losing volume at an unprecedented rate. The study shows that the two ice sheets combined are thinning at a rate of 500 cubic kilometres per year, contributing significantly to sea level rise.
Scientists have mapped the elevation changes of Greenlandic and Antarctic glaciers, revealing a record decline in ice sheet volumes. The study shows that Greenland is losing around 375 cubic kilometers of ice per year, while the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is thinning at a rate of 500 cubic kilometers per year.
Researchers found that intermediate sea levels and ice volumes triggered abrupt climate swings, with temperatures changing dramatically over a few decades. This discovery can help explain the rapid climate changes known as Dansgaard-Oeschger events during the last ice age.
A new study suggests that exceptional icebergs and weather conditions outside human control contributed to the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. The paper notes an increase in iceberg discharge from glaciers since the 1980s, which is linked to global warming.
Researchers from the University of New Hampshire found that decreased carbon dioxide levels led to the initiation of Antarctic glaciation 34 million years ago, contradicting a long-held theory. The study suggests that CO2-driven cooling played a crucial role in generating the ice sheet.
A UC research study reveals that mammoths and mastodons were likely year-round residents of the Cincinnati region, with distinct diets and habitats. The findings suggest a greater understanding of these prehistoric creatures' behaviors, which could inform modern-day elephant conservation efforts.
Researchers found a previously unknown mechanism linking the closing of the Panama Seaway to increased sea ice formation, intensified monsoons, and global cooling. This led to massive glacier growth across the Northern Hemisphere.
A new study reveals that a warming period over 400,000 years ago caused the Greenland ice sheet to deglace and raise global sea levels by 4-6 meters. The research uses sediment core analysis to track the chemistry of glacial stream sediments, providing insights into the history of ice sheets in Greenland.
Researchers at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found rapid changes in ocean temperature near glaciers, driven by fast ocean currents. The data suggests large and rapid fluctuations in submarine melt rates, contradicting the prevailing paradigm of freshwater input driving new water into the fjord.
Researchers discovered ragged blocks of ice as tall as city skyscrapers in the bottom of Greenland's ice sheet, formed by water refreezing and warping surrounding ice. The findings suggest that refreezing process uplifts and softens the ice, making it easier to flow towards the sea.
Thwaites Glacier is melting at a rate accelerated by geothermal heat from beneath the ice sheet. The researchers used radar techniques to map water flow under the glacier and identified significant sources of geothermal heat over a wider area than previously assumed.
A UK team discovered that summer meltwaters from ice sheets are rich in bioavailable iron, which boosts phytoplankton growth and captures carbon, thus buffering the effects of global warming. The researchers estimate that the flux of bioavailable iron associated with glacial runoff is between 400,000 and 2,500,000 tonnes per year.
A Dartmouth-led study reveals that climate change and Northern Hemisphere forest fires combined to drive large-scale surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet in 1889 and 2012. The research suggests nearly annual widespread melting of the ice sheet's surface by 2100, with a positive feedback mechanism set in motion.
A groundbreaking study by UC Irvine and NASA glaciologists shows previously uncharted deep valleys connecting the Greenland Ice Sheet to the ocean, eroding glacier edges and releasing massive amounts of water. The research reveals that Greenland's frozen mass will retreat faster and farther inland than anticipated, contributing signifi...
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is collapsing, with the Thwaites Glacier expected to disappear in centuries and raise sea levels by nearly 2 feet. The study provides a quantitative estimate of the collapse's rates, suggesting scenarios ranging from 200 to 500 years.
Researchers conclude that Antarctica's West Antarctic Ice Sheet will likely disappear within a few decades, with the Thwaites Glacier disappearing in centuries. The ice sheet contains enough ice to cause another 3-4 meters of global sea level rise.
The Randolph Glacier Inventory is a globally complete map of glaciers, covering over 730,000 km2 with a total volume of about 170,000 km3. The new inventory provides unprecedented accuracy for studying the impacts of climate change on glaciers worldwide.
Researchers funded by NSF discover that some landscapes underlying the massive Greenland ice sheet may have remained undisturbed for almost 3 million years. The team analyzed chemical composition of silts from an ice core and found evidence of a continuous cover of Summit, Greenland, with minimal surface erosion during warmest periods.
A team of scientists discovered a 3-million-year-old tundra landscape preserved under the Greenland Ice Sheet, suggesting the ice sheet has endured for longer than previously known. The findings indicate that even during warm periods, the center of Greenland remained stable, preventing the complete melting of the ice sheet.
A team of researchers, including a scientist from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, has found evidence that ancient dirt in Greenland was cryogenically frozen for millions of years. The discovery provides insights into how major ice sheets reacted to past climate change and could inform predictions about future changes.
Researchers discover 3-million-year-old organic soil frozen beneath 2 miles of ice, indicating the Greenland Ice Sheet has persisted longer than known. The ancient landscape suggests a stable center during warm periods, with minimal erosion.
Researchers develop new method to measure river discharge solely based on width measurements from satellite imagery, providing accurate estimates for agriculture, sanitation, and flood preparation. The approach holds promise for improving climate models and ensuring international water-sharing agreements are met.
Scientists found that Northeast Greenland Ice Stream started losing mass in 2003 due to localized temperature increase, contradicting previous predictions. The study suggests this region is sensitive to climate changes and could contribute significantly to global sea-level rise.
Researchers found that the northeast Greenland ice sheet is no longer stable and contributing to global sea level rise. The ice stream's retreat accelerated by 20 kilometers over the last decade, suggesting a positive feedback mechanism that could increase future sea level rise.
New research using NASA data shows that only a small number of Greenland's largest glaciers are responsible for the majority of ice discharge into the ocean. The study used satellite observations and ice thickness measurements to calculate ice flow rates, providing a clearer picture of how glacier dynamics affect the Greenland Ice Sheet.
The Greenland Ice Sheet is experiencing rapid ice loss, driven by ocean warming and increased surface melting. This phenomenon can lead to fresh water input into the North Atlantic Ocean, potentially disrupting global climate circulation patterns.
Researchers demonstrate photon-counting technique to track the melt or growth of Earth's frozen regions using NASA's MABEL campaign. This new technology will allow for precise measurements of elevation changes across ice sheets and glaciers, enabling scientists to better understand climate change impacts.
Researchers discovered a new aquifer in the Greenland Ice Sheet that holds liquid water all year long, covering 27,000 square miles. This find is crucial for understanding the contribution of snowmelt and ice melt to rising sea levels.
The NASA airborne mission is using a low-frequency radar instrument to map the sub-glacial bedrock hidden beneath thick ice sheets. The Multichannel Coherent Radar Depth Sounder (MCoRDS) measures ice thickness and maps sub-ice rock by sending radar waves down through polar ice.
Researchers have identified two subglacial lakes beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet, which could influence global sea level rise and the future of the ice sheet. The lakes are part of an open system connected to the surface, unlike isolated Antarctic lakes, and their existence has significant implications for understanding ice flow speeds.
Researchers investigate plate tephra formation, deep-seated slope failures, and wax lake delta geology. Volcanic processes are linked to magma composition and eruption styles.
Scientists have gained new insight into how glacier movement is affected by melting ice in summer, enabling more accurate predictions of sea level rise. The study found that fast summer ice flow caused by significant melting is cancelled out by slower motion the following winter.
A new technique using Arctic fossil records reveals that Greenland's ice sheet was smaller between 3,000-5,000 years ago, with warmest land and ocean conditions during this period. This finding suggests the ice sheet may respond to ocean temperatures, providing a clue to future climate change.
Researchers have identified areas in Antarctica where ancient ice cores could hold records of the past 1.5 million years, shedding light on Earth's climate history. The identified regions are near major domes in East Antarctica, offering a chance to drill into an ice core extending back that far.
Researchers are mapping Greenland's ice sheet and surrounding Arctic sea ice using a single season of summer melt data. The study aims to provide baseline measurements for future satellite missions.