Share this @internewscast.com

The Greenland ice sheet has lost about 1,965 square miles to glacial retreat since 1985, a new study says. 

That’s an area roughly the size of Delaware. 

The study analyzed satellite images to track retreat and found that the breakup of icebergs has accelerated in Greenland and that previous analyses might have underrated its influence. 

“Current consensus estimates of ice-sheet mass balance have underestimated recent mass loss from Greenland by as much as 20%,” the study’s authors wrote. In recent decades, almost every Greenland glacier has thinned or retreated.

The study, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature, is yet another sign that Greenland’s ice is melting at hastening and concerning rates. Scientists are growing increasingly concerned that the Earth’s warming could trigger tipping points for major ice sheets. Greenland contains about 8% of the world’s freshwater. Its total melt would raise sea levels by almost 7 feet and could change ocean circulation patterns. 

The study also suggests that the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the world’s leading body on assessing the climate crisis, has underestimated how much ice is being lost in Greenland.

Several pieces of research published last year also drew attention to rapid change in Greenland. 

One report, which evaluated satellite images and historical photos, determined that the rate of glacial retreat in the 21st century was about twice as fast as it was in the 20th century. 

Another study showed that floating ice shelves in northern Greenland have lost more than 35% of their total volume and are weakening. These ice shelves buttress the ice sheet and prevent glaciers from flowing more rapidly out to sea. Their deterioration could threaten the stability of the ice sheet. 

About 60 top snow and ice scientists published a report in November designed to draw attention to their increasing concern about the fate of the world’s ice sheets. The report warned that the planet could be committed to more than 40 feet of sea level rise in the coming centuries if global average temperatures settle at about 2 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial baseline. 

“Many ice sheet scientists now believe that by 2°C, nearly all of Greenland, much of West Antarctica, and even vulnerable portions of East Antarctica will be triggered to very long-term, inexorable sea-level rise, even if air temperatures later decrease,” they wrote.

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Twitch Star Jrokez, 26, Passes Away After 12th-Floor Fall Following Eerie Final Post About Feeling ‘Exhausted’

A TWITCH streaming star has died after plunging from a 12th floor…
Idaho killer Bryan Kohberger demands prison transfer after complaining of inmate threats

Idaho Murder Suspect Bryan Kohberger Requests Prison Transfer Due to Inmate Threats

Bryan Kohberger, the former criminology Ph.D. student who murdered four University of…
Texas' Republican-controlled House approves new maps to create more winnable GOP congressional seats

Texas House Passes New Maps to Boost GOP Congressional Wins

AUSTIN, Texas — On Wednesday, Texas Republicans initiated the process of approving…
CTU to hold Chicago rally calling out Governor JB Pritzker's CPS funding comments

Chicago Teachers Union Plans Rally to Address Governor Pritzker’s Remarks on CPS Funding

CHICAGO (WLS) — The deadline for a CPS budget is drawing near,…
Bryan Kohberger questioned: Inside his first interview with police after Idaho student murders

Idaho Police Chief Shares New Insights on Bryan Kohberger Student Murder Case

Retired NYPD inspector Paul Mauro joined ‘Fox & Friends’ to talk about…
More Chicago-area families share grave grievances involving Elmo's Tombstone Service over missing, erroneous headstones

Chicago Families Report Numerous Issues with Elmo’s Tombstone Service, Including Missing and Incorrect Headstones

CHICAGO (WLS) — Families are grappling with unresolved grief as the graves…
Mets not planning go to six-man rotation — for now

Mets Opt to Stick with Five-Man Rotation — For the Time Being

WASHINGTON — The Mets’ pitching plan right now entails rolling with the…
NOAA releases fall weather predictions for every state as La Niña looms

NOAA Shares Autumn Weather Forecasts for Each State as La Niña Approaches

(NEXSTAR) – This fall is looking pretty summery, if a new national…
Man in red underwear lying on the floor at an airport gate.

Unusual Incident: Passenger Strips and Exposes Themselves to Shocked Tourists at Airport Gate, Gets Apprehended by Police

A PASSENGER gave stunned travellers a naughty striptease all the way down…
Vegan firefighter hoses down burning tractor-trailer carrying 40,000 pounds of rib-eye steaks: 'Total loss'

Plant-Based Firefighter Extinguishes Blaze in Truck Hauling 40,000 Pounds of Rib-Eye Steaks: ‘Complete Loss’

A probationary firefighter at a rural fire department in Missouri had a…
Top White House officials turn to public appearances with troops as a tense Washington watches

White House Leaders Engage with Troops Amid Tense Political Climate

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump expanded his law-enforcement measures in Washington…
Antisemitic Troll Call Out: Letters

Exposing Antisemitic Trolls: An Open Letter

The Issue: Bethany Mandel’s column on getting hateful messages over her kids…