NE Sector Of Greenland Ice Sheet, Previously Thought Stable, Melting Faster Than Expected

[hatrack]

Warming in the Arctic has now reached the northernmost sections of the Greenland ice sheet. After a long period of stability (more than 25 years), we have found in a new study of the region that the northeast section of the ice sheet is no longer stable. This means global sea levels may rise even faster than was previously anticipated.

EDIT

Our new study shows how, over the past eight years, it has actually lost an increasing amount of ice. Satellite images show that the ice loss rate here is now the second largest in Greenland - only exceeded by the Jakobshavn Glacier.

Pointing out mis-predictions

This means that other models have underestimated the total mass loss and thus Greenland’s future contributions to global sea level change. To date, calculations of future rises in sea levels have not accounted for the large contribution of ice flowing into the ocean from this part of Greenland. Published in Nature Climate Change, our new study points out this mis-prediction.

Many modelling approaches used to assess future sea level rises have suggested that the northeastern sector of the ice sheet is relatively stable and therefore not contributing to any significant ice mass loss. They have used data from the last decade to model the Greenland ice sheet's contribution to sea level rise by 2100, but they assume no mass loss in northeast Greenland, which is incorrect.

EDIT

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2312123/stable_ne_greenland_ice_sheet_is_melting_away.html

[Nihil]

1. Kick for unfortunate assumptions. (n/t)

[XemaSab]

2. .