A large glacier in northwest Greenland is interacting with ocean waves, scientists said Monday, causing previously unknown melting and rapid sea-level rise, according to a study published by a team at the University of California and its Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Mon.
Observations from the Petermann Glacier revealed that the fold of the glacier – the area where the ice begins to connect with the ocean – can change dramatically with the influx of tides each day.
says the network CNN The traditional view among scientists is that the landline does not move with the tides, but the new discovery shows another important source of melting that could accelerate estimates of sea level rise.
Between 2016 and 2022, warmer tidal cycles melted a 670-foot hole along the ground line on the lower side of the glacier.
This phenomenon is likely to worsen in the coming years and decades as ocean temperatures rise.
CNN recently reported that ocean surface temperatures were at record highs this spring, which scientists worry could be part of an alarming new trend.
The study raises further concerns about the already alarming prospect of sea-level rise threatening coastal areas around the world.
According to NASA, melting ice in Greenland is the largest contributor to sea level rise. Although projections have accelerated in recent years, current projections do not take into account the newly discovered contribution of subglacial interactions to tidal warming.
“Award-winning beer geek. Extreme coffeeaholic. Introvert. Avid travel specialist. Hipster-friendly communicator.”
