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Mapping Greenland's mass loss in space and time.
Christopher Harig1, Frederik J Simons
1Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA. charig@princeton.edu
Summary
Greenland
Area of Science:
- Glaciology
- Climate Science
- Earth Observation
Background:
- Polar ice sheet melt significantly contributes to global sea-level rise.
- Estimates of Greenland ice cap mass loss from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite data have historically varied.
- Detailed spatial patterns and short-term variations in Greenland's mass loss remain unclear despite converged long-term trends.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a spatially and temporally resolved estimation of ice mass change in Greenland.
- To clarify the geographical distribution and short-term variability of Greenland's ice mass loss.
- To analyze ice mass dynamics between April 2002 and August 2011.
Main Methods:
- Utilized satellite gravity data from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE).
- Performed spatially and temporally resolved analysis of ice mass change.
- Focused on the period from April 2002 to August 2011.
Main Results:
- Identified concentrated areas of active ice mass loss on Greenland's southeastern and northwestern coasts.
- Observed a steady increase in ice mass in the center of Greenland over the decade.
- Confirmed a linear trend in total mass loss despite spatial and temporal variations.
Conclusions:
- Greenland's ice mass loss exhibits distinct regional patterns, primarily along its coasts.
- The central Greenland ice mass has shown stability or growth, contrasting with coastal losses.
- Spatially resolved data is crucial for understanding the complex dynamics of ice sheet response to climate change.
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