Outlet glaciers like Kangerdlugssuaq transport ice from the
heart of the Greenland Ice Sheet to the ocean and discharge
icebergs, which contribute to sea level rise. Kangerdlugssuaq
Glacier alone transports or “drains” four percent of the ice from
the Greenland Ice Sheet, and so any changes in the speed of these
glaciers holds tremendous significance in terms of sea level
rise.
“This is a dramatic discovery,” said Dr. Gordon Hamilton, who
undertook the measurements on Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on
Greenland’s East Coast with University of Maine PhD student Leigh
Stearns. “There is concern that the acceleration of this and
similar glaciers and the associated discharge of ice is not
described in current ice sheet models of the effects of climate
change. These new results suggest that the loss of ice from the
Greenland Ice Sheet, unless balanced by an equivalent increase in
snowfall, could be larger and faster than previously
estimated.”
The Arctic Sunrise is in Greenland this summer
documenting the signs and impacts of global warming in this part of
the Arctic. The scientists from the Climate Change Institute at the
University of Maine are conducting an independently-funded study
into glacier variations as evidence of recent global warming.
Preliminary findings indicate Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on
Greenland’s East Coast could be one of the fastest moving glaciers
in the world with a speed of almost nine miles per year. The
measurements were made this week using high precision GPS survey
methods. In 1996, measurements made with satellite imagery
revealed the glacier’s speed was three miles per year. In
addition, Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier has unexpectedly receded
approximately three miles since 2001 after maintaining a stable
position for the past 40 years.
The Greenland Ice Sheet could melt down if regional warming
exceeds about five degrees Fahrenheit. If this were to occur, sea
level would rise approximately 23 feet over a few thousand years.
However, a two to four foot rise in sea level in the next century
would have significant impacts on society. More than 70 percent of
the world’s population lives on coastal plains, and 11 of the
world’s 15 largest cities are on the coast or reside near
estuaries.
Greenland’s ice contains over six percent of the world’s fresh
water. The volume of ice contained in the Kangerdlugssuaq equals
four times the total volume of water in the Great Lakes.
“This discovery sounds a deafening alarm as Congress continues
to spin its wheels on U.S. energy policy and global warming
solutions,” said Melanie Duchin, Greenpeace Climate Campaigner
onboard the Arctic Sunrise. “Anything short of real action
will result in shrinking glaciers and rising sea levels,
devastating U.S. coastal cities.”
Other contacts: Carol Gregory 202-319-2472; 202-413-8531 (cell)
Onboard the Arctic Sunrise:
Dr. Gordon Hamilton and Greenpeace Expedition Leader Martina Krueger
Satellite phone: 011 871 1302577, 011 871 324453810
Notes: Photo available at ftp://share.greenpeace.org
id: photogreenpeace
password: Pwe553sRw
folder: GREENLAND
Video available at ftp://share.greenpeace.org/050721-Kangerdlugssuaq_Glacier.mpg
Note: file is an mpeg1 format (39.1 MB)
Exp. contact date: 2005-08-21 00:00:00
