Greenland is losing ice at a fast rate with global sea level rise

A study in the Nature Climate Change journal reveals widespread loss of ice from Greenland. The extent of loss could result in global sea level rise of nearly a foot. There is no apparent way to prevent this from happening even if the world stopped releasing planet-heating emissions immediately. The overall loss could trigger at least 10 inches of sea level rise, irrespective of the climate warming scenarios. That would be a matter of concern because it would be equal to the total rise over the last century from Greenland, Antarctica and thermal expansion. Researchers from the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland made note of changes in ice-sheet volume in and around Greenland. It seems meltwater runoff was the primary driver. Subsequently, relying on "well-established theory," they rang the danger bells. The Greenland ice sheet -- equivalent to 110 trillion tons of ice -- will cease to exist as the ice sheet reacts to the changes that have already occurred. Greenland ice losses set to raise global sea levels by nearly a foot, new research shows. The authors did not specify a timeline but their prediction is that the change in sea levels can occur by the end of the century.

Massive sheets of ice sheets can melt at a fast rate when the air temperature is warm. Moreover, the warmer ocean water also erodes the sheet around the edges. Incidentally, a current report released earlier this year by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration cautions that coastal regions of the United States could expect 10 to 12 inches of sea level rise in the next three decades. This could mean increase in the frequency of high tide floods and storm surges would spread further inland. In case all the ice melted, it would lift sea levels by roughly 25 feet around the world. This extent of sea level rise could leave some places devastated. The amount of ice that melted in Greenland between July 15 and 17 alone was approximately 6 billion tons of water per day. That is a whole lot of water.

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Climate change alarm bells ring as North Pole records temperatures 20 degrees C above average

Alarm bells have begun to ring to warn about severe climate change in the offing as the North Pole records a temperatures that is 20 degrees C (36 degrees Fahrenheit) above average. This rise in temperature coupled with a record low extent of sea ice for October, is a major cause for alarm and is sending climate change alarm bells ringing around the world.
This has been reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 19 November 2016.

Right now it is polar night when night lasts for more than 24 hours and the Arctic is supposed to get super-cold. October is the first full month when sea ice is supposed to grow. But, the situation is bad - the ice area is 28.5% below the 1981-2010 average, the smallest extent since records began to be maintained in 1979.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has declared this October as the third warmest on record behind 2014 and 2015.
In the opinion of NOAA meteorologists, the Arctic has been unusually warm for a long period of time. Parts of Greenland, including the top of Greenland's ice sheet, were over 7 degrees Celsius warmer than average last month and, there has been a "meteoric rise in October temperatures on Alaska's north slope." This has been revealed by NOAA 's climate science and services manager in Alaska.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org


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