Scientists are alarmed by the accelerated melting of ice in Greenland

The intensity of the extreme melting processes of the Greenland ice sheet has increased sixfold compared to the figures of the past decades. Researchers from the University of Barcelona have found that the area of the territories affected by these processes has expanded by about 2.8 million square kilometers every 10 years since 1990. This was reported on May 4 by Science Daily magazine.

According to the data obtained, in the period from 1950 to 2023, extreme events led to the formation of an average of 12.7 Gt of meltwater per decade. However, since 1990, this figure has jumped to 82.4 Gt. Seven of the 10 largest melting episodes in the history of observations occurred after 2000, including the most intense events in August 2012, as well as in July 2019 and 2021.

"The rapid transformation of the ice sheet not only has global environmental consequences, such as sea level rise and possible changes in ocean circulation, but also puts the Arctic at the center of new strategic, economic and territorial dynamics," said Josep Bonsoms, lead author of the study.

Scientists have found that modern melting is 63% more intense than in the period 1950-1975. At the same time, the main focus of abnormal activity has formed in the northern part of Greenland. The researchers used a computer simulation method to separate the dynamic factors (movement of air masses) and the thermodynamic influence directly related to the temperature increase. It turned out that it is the warming of the atmosphere that increases melting even during those periods when air circulation remains habitual.

According to experts, if greenhouse gas emissions remain high, the intensity of abnormal melting in Greenland may increase by another three times by the end of this century.

Cold shift: how melting glaciers threatens Russia

And how do the processes in the Arctic and Antarctic affect the weather in the central part of the country

On March 13, Popular Science magazine reported on the melting of the ice cap at the top of the Weisseeschpitze in the Eastern Alps. It was formed from layers of snow that gradually condensed into ice, and is located at an altitude of about 3.5 thousand meters on the border of Austria and Italy. According to scientists, the glacier stores information about the climate and human activity over the past 6 thousand years. It is claimed that in six years the thickness of the ice has decreased by about 4.5 m, which indicates the possible loss of some historical data on human activity to the current moment.