study
The pace of glacier retreat in Greenland is multiplying
Eternal ice in Scoresby Sound? According to a study, Greenland’s glaciers are melting at an accelerated rate. photo
© Chris Szagola/AP/dpa
Greenland’s glaciers are in danger. According to a study by researchers at the University of Copenhagen, they withdraw much more quickly than expected. Why is that?
Before the turn of the millennium, the glacier ice in southwest Greenland was retreating by around five meters per year; currently it is 25 meters. That is a dramatic increase. The decline is particularly severe in glaciers on the edge of Greenland and on the ice caps.
For the study, the scientists examined a good 1,000 of Greenland’s approximately 22,000 glaciers and not only used satellite images, but also evaluated 200,000 photos and aerial photographs from the past 130 years.
Geoscientist Anders Bjørk, who was involved in the study, said previous studies had already shown that Greenland’s largest glaciers were under enormous pressure due to global climate change and rising temperatures. However, there were still doubts about the scope due to inadequate measurement methods. The new study removes any remaining doubts about the impact of climate change on Greenland’s glaciers.