Tracking Greenland's Ice Sheet Thinning with Satellite Data

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Tracking Greenland's Ice Sheet Thinning with Satellite Data

Asked by terryaster at 8:30am on Dec 30 2024

An international research team, including scientists from Northumbria University, has used satellite data to measure changes in the thickness of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The melting and accelerated flow of the Ice Sheet, driven by global warming, are major contributors to rising sea levels and disrupted weather patterns, making precise measurements of these changes crucial for understanding and addressing climate impacts.

For the first time, researchers have measured Greenland Ice Sheet thickness changes by combining data from CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2, satellites operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA, respectively. These satellites use different technologies to measure the Earth's surface: CryoSat-2 employs radar signals that penetrate ice but require adjustment for surface effects, while ICESat-2 uses laser signals that reflect directly off the surface but are affected by cloud cover.

The complementary nature of these missions has long been a goal for polar scientists. A recent study published in Geophysical Research Letters by the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) at Northumbria University demonstrates that measurements from the two satellites align within 3%. This agreement allows for more accurate estimates of ice loss and ensures continuity of data should one satellite mission fail.

Between 2010 and 2023, the Greenland Ice Sheet thinned by an average of 1.2 meters. However, at its edges, where melting is most intense, the thinning averaged 6.4 meters. Dramatic losses occurred at outlet glaciers, with Sermeq Kujalleq (Jakobshavn Isbræ) thinning by 67 meters and Zachariae Isstrøm in the northeast thinning by 75 meters.

In total, the ice sheet lost 2,347 cubic kilometers of ice over the 13-year study period—enough to fill Lake Victoria in Africa. The most significant losses occurred in 2012 and 2019, years marked by extreme summer heat, with more than 400 cubic kilometers of ice volume lost annually.

The melting of Greenland’s ice sheet has broader implications, including disruptions to global ocean circulation and weather systems, which in turn affect ecosystems and communities worldwide. Accurate and timely data on ice sheet changes are essential for preparing for these impacts and informing climate policies.

Lead author and CPOM researcher Nitin Ravinder highlighted the significance of the findings: "Discovering the close agreement between CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 is incredibly exciting. Their complementary nature allows us to combine data for improved estimates of ice sheet volume and mass changes. This is invaluable for understanding sea-level rise and its global consequences."

The study also utilized data from the Cryo2ice campaign, a collaborative effort between ESA and NASA launched in 2020 to enhance satellite data collection. These findings reinforce the importance of international cooperation in monitoring and addressing the effects of climate change.

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