Glaciers to Melt Faster Than Expected: Research Findings
New research from the University of California and the US Aerospace Agency (NASA) has found that glaciers will melt faster than previously predicted due to tidal movements. The study, which appears in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, reports that a large glacier in northwest Greenland is interacting with ocean tides, allowing for a previously unexplained potential for melting. Using satellite radar data, the research team determined that the glacier, named Petermann, broke off its connection with the land and started to float in the ocean, allowing warm sea water to enter the bottom and cause the glacier to melt. Lead author of the study, Enrico Ciraci, explained that the glacier mass in question “moves between 2 and 6 kilometers during tidal movements,” marking an important discovery that could have major implications for sea level rise projections. Co-author Eric Rignot added that the discovery could “increase sea-level rise projections by up to 200 percent.”
