There is a major issue that is currently altering the make-up of the second largest ice sheet on earth. The current atmospheric changes that are occurring in the Arctic are forcing record weather events that are contributing to the melting of the Greenland ice sheet. Within the atmosphere, the Arctic is undergoing extreme fluctuations related to climate change that are greater than any other point of the earth. Due to the current atmospheric changes that are occurring in the Arctic, the Greenland ice sheet is rapidly melting and as a result, the Arctic Circle is accelerating towards an ice-free area, particularly around Greenland. Located in the Arctic, the Greenland ice sheet is very vulnerable to climate change. Climate change is currently
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This increase in melting is likely to contribute substantially to sea level rise as well as to possible changes in ocean circulation in the future. The Greenland ice sheet is made up of fresh water which is going to affect the ocean circulation as the salinity of the ocean will change. If the entire 2,850,000 km3 of the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, global sea levels would rise 7.2 m or roughly 24 feet. There have also been growing fears that show climate change will make the Greenland ice sheet pass a certain point that causes long-term melting of the ice sheet to be inevitable. Therefore, it will be too late to stop the rapid melting of the declining ice sheet. There are climate models that show local warming in Greenland will be 3 degrees Celsius to around 9 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. The constant warming of the ice sheet will cause the sea level to rise a significant amount which would certainly affect major coastal cities around the world that lie at sea …show more content…
A large abundance of melting takes place during the summer months of Greenland which causes there to be melt zones over the ice sheet. The melt zone shows that summer warmth turns snow and ice into slush and melt ponds of meltwater, has been growing at an accelerating rate in recent years. The meltwater will seep down through cracks of the ice sheet which causes more melting. In the year of 2012 which saw record melting rates in the Arctic, the melt zone extended to 97 percent of the ice cover. Lora Koenig, a Goddard glaciologist suggested that "if we continue to observe melting events like this in upcoming years, it will be worrisome." Meltwater that is around Greenland is also able to transport nutrients to the ocean. The meltwater effect relies on surface melting which will the be funneled through moulins that will either reach the glacier base or will be drained into the ocean with very fast motion. The areas that are largely affected by the rapid warming in our environment change are the Greenland ice sheets outlet glaciers. These outlet glaciers are very vulnerable to the melting and thinning of the ice sheet due to summer meltwater increase. The thinning of the ice causes the glacier to be more afloat, reducing frictional back forces which allows the glacier to become more submerged at the calving front. The reduced friction due to the
This increase in melting is likely to contribute substantially to sea level rise as well as to possible changes in ocean circulation in the future. The Greenland ice sheet is made up of fresh water which is going to affect the ocean circulation as the salinity of the ocean will change. If the entire 2,850,000 km3 of the Greenland ice sheet were to melt, global sea levels would rise 7.2 m or roughly 24 feet. There have also been growing fears that show climate change will make the Greenland ice sheet pass a certain point that causes long-term melting of the ice sheet to be inevitable. Therefore, it will be too late to stop the rapid melting of the declining ice sheet. There are climate models that show local warming in Greenland will be 3 degrees Celsius to around 9 degrees Celsius by the year 2100. The constant warming of the ice sheet will cause the sea level to rise a significant amount which would certainly affect major coastal cities around the world that lie at sea …show more content…
A large abundance of melting takes place during the summer months of Greenland which causes there to be melt zones over the ice sheet. The melt zone shows that summer warmth turns snow and ice into slush and melt ponds of meltwater, has been growing at an accelerating rate in recent years. The meltwater will seep down through cracks of the ice sheet which causes more melting. In the year of 2012 which saw record melting rates in the Arctic, the melt zone extended to 97 percent of the ice cover. Lora Koenig, a Goddard glaciologist suggested that "if we continue to observe melting events like this in upcoming years, it will be worrisome." Meltwater that is around Greenland is also able to transport nutrients to the ocean. The meltwater effect relies on surface melting which will the be funneled through moulins that will either reach the glacier base or will be drained into the ocean with very fast motion. The areas that are largely affected by the rapid warming in our environment change are the Greenland ice sheets outlet glaciers. These outlet glaciers are very vulnerable to the melting and thinning of the ice sheet due to summer meltwater increase. The thinning of the ice causes the glacier to be more afloat, reducing frictional back forces which allows the glacier to become more submerged at the calving front. The reduced friction due to the