Watch 13 Years of Greenland Ice Melt in Disturbing New Video

A new video compiled from NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) satellite data has revealed the alarming rate of melt at the Greenland Ice Sheet over the past 13 years. The video showcases how the edges of the ice sheet are melting faster than the center, especially in areas where glaciers flow into the sea.

According to a recent study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters on December 20, between 2010 and 2023, Greenland lost a staggering 563 cubic miles (2,347 cubic kilometers) of ice. This amount of ice loss is equivalent to filling Lake Victoria, Africa’s largest lake. The Greenland Ice Sheet has been experiencing mass loss since 1998 and is currently the second-largest contributor to rising sea levels after the expansion of water due to warming temperatures.

The research not only quantified the ice loss but also compared data from ESA’s CryoSat-2 radar measurements and NASA’s ICESat-2 laser measurements to ensure accuracy. The results showed that both methods were consistent, with the ice sheet thinning by an average of 3.9 feet (1.2 meters) over the 13-year period.

However, the study also highlighted significant variations in ice loss across the ice sheet. The edges of the ice sheet experienced an average loss of 21 feet (6.4 meters), while outlet glaciers, such as the Zachariae Isstrøm glacier, saw a maximum loss of 246 feet (75 meters). The darkest red areas in the video represent the regions with the most severe ice loss.

Since 2020, CryoSat-2 and ICESat-2 have been orbiting along the same paths to ensure synchronized data collection. Thorsten Markus, project scientist for the ICESat-2 mission at NASA, emphasized the importance of combining data from both satellites to fully understand the changes occurring in Greenland.

The findings of this study serve as a stark reminder of the ongoing impact of climate change on the Greenland Ice Sheet and the urgent need for global action to mitigate its effects.