Greenland has lost 20% more ice than previously thought, says study
- According to research, Greenland's ice sheet has lost 20% more ice than previously estimated due to climate change.
- Earlier studies suggested the loss of approximately 5,000 gigatons of ice from the Greenland ice sheet in the last 20 years, a major contributor to rising sea levels.
New Findings
- Researchers compiled 240,000 satellite images of glacier terminus positions from 1985 to 2022.
- Almost every glacier in Greenland has experienced thinning or retreat over the past few decades.
- Over 1,000 gigatons, or 20%, of ice around Greenland's edges have been lost in the last four decades, not previously accounted for.
Impact on Sea Levels
- The lost ice around the edges, already in the water, has a minimal direct impact on sea level rise.
- However, the findings suggest a potential for increased overall ice melt, facilitating glacier movement towards the sea.
Seasonal Sensitivity and Global Warming
- Glaciers in Greenland most susceptible to seasonal changes (expanding in winter, retreating in summer) are also the ones most sensitive to the impact of global warming
- They have experienced the most significant retreat since 1985.
- Greenland's ice sheet, the world's second-largest after Antarctica, is estimated to have contributed over 20% to observed sea level rise since 2002.
Prelims Takeaway
- Global Warming
- Greenland