Unprecedented Melting: 90 Billion Liters of Meltwater Surge Through Greenland Ice Sheet!

Scientists recently uncovered a surprising flood beneath the Greenland ice sheet. This flood burst through about 300 feet of solid ice, releasing an astonishing 24 billion gallons of meltwater from a subglacial lake. This event occurred in 2014 and marks the first time such a phenomenon has been documented in Greenland.

By analyzing this massive flooding event, researchers hope to understand how ice melts in the region and the potential impacts on the wider Greenland ice sheet. Their findings were published in the journal Nature Geoscience.

Jade Bowling, a glaciologist at Lancaster University and lead author of the study, said they initially thought something was wrong with their data. But as they dug deeper, they realized they were witnessing the aftermath of a significant water flood that escaped from under the ice. “The existence of subglacial lakes beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet is relatively new, and we still have much to learn about how they evolve,” she noted.

Greenland’s ice sheet is massive, nearly three times the size of Texas and covering around 656,000 square miles. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, it loses about 33 million tons of ice every hour. Recent studies show that rising temperatures are increasing the rate at which this ice melts, raising concerns about global sea levels.

Less is known about the role of meltwater from these ice sheets. Previously, scientists believed that meltwater flowed from the surface down to the base and then into the ocean. However, this new study highlights the significance of subglacial lakes—bodies of liquid water beneath the ice fed by surface melt. These lakes could potentially contribute enormous amounts of water to the ocean during drainage events.

Using advanced satellite technology, the research team identified a previously unknown subglacial lake in northern Greenland. They discovered an enormous flood event that fractured the ice from below. Over ten days in July and August 2014, a crater measuring around 0.77 square miles and 279 feet deep was formed as water surged from the meltwater lake uphill. This deluge was equivalent to nine hours of flow at Niagara Falls.

The flood’s effects were extensive. Scientists found that the surge fractured a large area of ice, uprooting blocks that reached heights of 82 feet and scouring an area roughly twice the size of Central Park. This discovery challenges older models, which suggested the ice sheet’s base was solidly frozen, and indicates a more complex system at play.

Co-author Amber Leeson pointed out how surprising the findings were. “It has taught us new and unexpected things about how ice sheets can respond to extreme inputs of surface meltwater,” she said. Understanding this complex hydrological system is crucial for predicting future changes, especially given the implications for rising sea levels.

As climate change continues to shift our environment, further studies will be essential for grasping how ice sheets like Greenland’s are evolving and what that means for our planet.

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