Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 11, 2026
06:27
Simulating Impacts of Ice Storms on Forest Ecosystems
Published on: June 30, 2020
CLIMATE CHANGE: Enhanced: The Greenland Ice Sheet Reacts
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 11, 2007
Summary
Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet contributes to sea level rise. While low-altitude regions show significant melting, high-altitude areas of the ice sheet remain stable over time.
Area of Science:
- Glaciology
- Climate Science
- Earth System Science
Background:
- The Greenland Ice Sheet is a critical reservoir of Earth's freshwater.
- Melting of ice sheets is a primary driver of global sea level rise.
- Understanding ice sheet dynamics is crucial for predicting future climate impacts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze surface elevation changes of the Greenland Ice Sheet.
- To differentiate between short-term and long-term melting trends.
- To assess the impact of melting on different altitude zones of the ice sheet.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific reports, specifically Krabill et al. and Thomas et al.
- Analysis of data on surface elevation changes.
- Comparison of short-term and long-term elevation data across different altitudes.
Main Results:
- Low-altitude areas of the Greenland Ice Sheet are experiencing melting.
- High-altitude areas of the ice sheet exhibit no net reduction in elevation.
- Elevation changes vary significantly between different regions and altitudes of the ice sheet.
Conclusions:
- Differential melting patterns exist across the Greenland Ice Sheet.
- High-altitude ice mass may be preserved, contrasting with low-altitude melt.
- Further research is needed to fully understand the complex dynamics of ice sheet melt and its contribution to sea level rise.
Related Concept Videos
01:50Global Climate Change
Throughout its ~4.5 billion year history, the Earth has experienced periods of warming and cooling. However, the current drastic increase in global temperatures is well outside of the Earth’s cyclic norms, and evidence for human-caused global climate change is compelling. Paleoclimatology, the study of ancient climate conditions, provides ample evidence for human-caused global climate change by comparing recent conditions with those in the past.
01:27Microbes and Climate Change
Microorganisms are pivotal agents in Earth's biogeochemical cycles, significantly influencing climate dynamics through their metabolic activities. These microbes modulate the levels of key greenhouse gases by both contributing to and helping mitigate climate change.Microbial Contributions to Greenhouse Gas EmissionsRising global temperatures accelerate microbial metabolism, which, in turn, speeds up the decomposition of organic matter. This process releases carbon dioxide (CO₂) through...
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
01:16What is Climate?
Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, “Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.” Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.
01:27Frost Action on Concrete
Concrete structures in cold climates, such as those along roadsides, can retain moisture. This moisture makes them susceptible to frost-related damage when temperatures fall below freezing. Adding moisture worsens the damage during temperature fluctuations, leading to repeated freezing and thawing. De-icing salts, spread over these structures to melt ice, add to the freeze-thaw cycle, and draw even more moisture into the concrete.
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...
01:27Cold Weather Concreting
When freshly poured concrete is exposed to freezing temperatures before it has set, the water within the concrete can freeze. This expansion disrupts the setting process, delays chemical reactions necessary for hardening, and increases the volume of pores within the hardened concrete, which weakens its overall structure. If the concrete manages to reach an appreciable strength before it freezes, the damage can be somewhat mitigated.
To counteract the negative impacts of cold weather, ensuring...
To counteract the negative impacts of cold weather, ensuring...