Greenland glaciers are melting at twice the rate this century, new research shows

We’ve long known that Greenland’s ice sheet is melting Worryingly fastBut a new study from Northwestern University and the University of Copenhagen finds that thousands of Greenland’s outer glaciers have moved into A new, widespread state of rapid retreat.

In their study, the research team used satellite imagery and rare historical aerial photographs of Greenland’s coastline to map the thousands of glaciers that are not part of the island’s massive central ice sheet. To complete the study, the researchers removed terrain distortions and used geo-referencing techniques to determine the exact location. This unique data allowed the researchers to record and compare more than 1,000 glaciers and how they have changed over the past 130 years.

arrive Yarrow AxfordSome of the historical photos were taken from an open-cockpit aircraft during the first mapping mission to Greenland, senior author of the study from Northwestern University. cryosphere “This is very rare. We can now provide long-term records from hundreds of glaciers, which finally gives us the opportunity to document the response of Greenland-wide glaciers to climate change for more than a century, which is quite remarkable.”

The multi-year study concluded that the rate of glacier retreat has doubled since 2000 and that rising air and ocean temperatures are due to human-caused climate change This is the reason for this negative record. “Our activity over the next few decades will greatly affect these glaciers. Every little bit of increase in temperature is important.” Laura Laroccafirst author of the study.