"The rate at which the ice is melting in Greenland is depressing," Moon said. Now the signs of a changed landscape
The researchers collected data from NASA, the U.S. Geological Survey and other satellites from 1985 to 2015 to compare the position of the ice edge, the height of the ice sheet surface and the flow of glaciers over three decades.Advances in satellite technology have allowed scientists to study changes in the ice sheet in much more detail than was previously possible.
By comparing 30 years of images, the researchers drew several key conclusions.The most consistent trend observed throughout the ice sheet is widespread ice edge retreat.Of the 225 glaciers studied, 200 have retreated, especially since 2000.This is noticeable even in regions dominated by slower-moving glaciers and cooler ocean water.In addition, it turned out that the reaction of the ice flow depends to a large extent on theConsequently, even glaciers within the same region canbehave differently.
Studying changes in the Greenland ice sheet,scientists have found that the zones of rapid glacial flow are narrowing. And the ice itself is redirected and, in some cases, the flow of new ice slows down. This could affect the movement of water under the ice sheet, which will alter the availability of water for local communities and animals.
"Since the Arctic Ocean and the atmospherewarming up, you can clearly see how the flow of ice into the ocean is accelerating, and the ice edge is receding, ”concludes Alex Gardner, a researcher at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and co-author of the study. “Understanding the complexity of an individual glacier's response is critical to improving forecasts of ice sheet changes and associated sea level rise off our shores.”
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