Photo credit: phys.org
Enhanced Crevassing of the Greenland Ice Sheet Linked to Climate Change
The Greenland Ice Sheet is experiencing a significant increase in crevasse formation, which has been accelerated by climate change. This alarming trend is detailed in a comprehensive study that captures the rapidly evolving conditions affecting the world’s second largest ice body.
Researchers from Durham University, UK, utilized more than 8,000 high-resolution 3D surface maps to monitor the changes in crevasses between 2016 and 2021. Their findings indicate that both the size and depth of these cracks have escalated sharply along the fast-flowing margins of the ice sheet, suggesting that the pace of change is faster than previously understood.
Crevasses are wedge-shaped fissures that arise in glaciers as the ice flows more rapidly. With the intensifying effects of climate change, these fractures are not only becoming more pronounced but are also contributing to the mechanisms responsible for ice loss from Greenland. The research aims to enhance predictions regarding the future behavior of the Greenland Ice Sheet by integrating these observations of ice damage and crevassing into climate models.
The study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, reinforces the ongoing concerns regarding Greenland’s contribution to global sea level rise, which has accounted for approximately 14 mm since 1992. This increase is attributed to higher surface melting due to rising air temperatures, as well as enhanced ice flow into the ocean driven by warmer sea temperatures.
Impacts of Ice Melt
Greenland’s ice reserves hold enough water to potentially raise sea levels by 7 meters (23 feet) if fully melted. Current projections estimate that Greenland may contribute an additional 30 cm (about one foot) to sea level rise by the year 2100, underscoring the urgency of addressing climate change impacts.
During their study, the researchers observed that at the ice sheet’s periphery, particularly where significant glaciers meet the ocean, increases in glacier flow speed were closely linked to dramatic rises in crevasse volume, with some areas witnessing growth of up to 25% (with an error margin of ±10%). However, this trend was somewhat moderated by a temporary slowdown observed in the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier, Greenland’s fastest-moving glacier, during the same timeframe. This resulted in an overall increase in crevasses across the ice sheet of approximately 4.3%, with a margin of error of ±5.9%. The flow speed of Sermeq Kujalleq has since rebounded, suggesting that previous balance between crevasse expansion and closure is no longer applicable.
Growing Concerns Over Ice Loss
Dr. Tom Chudley, the study’s lead author and a member of Durham University’s Department of Geography, expressed concerns regarding the implications of these observations. He noted, “In a warming world, we would expect to see more crevasses forming… significant increases in the size and depth of crevasses at fast-flowing glaciers are now evident over just five years.
The researchers project that as crevasses continue to enlarge, they could inadvertently accelerate the ice sheet’s overall flow, driving more heat and water into its interior and speeding up iceberg calving into oceans.
Included in the research team were experts from The Ohio State University and the University of Florida. The study harnessed data from the ArcticDEM project, which aims to provide high-resolution digital surface models of Arctic glaciers and will continue collecting data until at least 2032. This will enable ongoing monitoring of the effects of climate change on these critical ice formations.
Conclusion
The continuous growth of crevasses in the Greenland Ice Sheet presents serious implications for future sea levels and underscores the necessity for comprehensive climate change strategies. The findings reveal that not only are the glaciers receding, but the intricate dynamics of ice flow, crevasse formation, and environmental change are evolving rapidly and warrant further investigation.
More information: Enhanced crevassing across accelerating Greenland Ice Sheet margins, Nature Geoscience (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41561-024-01636-6
Source
phys.org