Friday, December 09, 2005
EARTH CHANGES
Greenland glacier races to ocean
Scientists have been monitoring what they say may be the fastest moving glacier on the planet.
Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on the east coast of Greenland has been clocked using GPS equipment and satellites to be flowing at a rate of 14km per year.
It is also losing mass extremely fast, with its front end retreating 5km back up its fjord this year alone.
The glacier "drains" about 4 per cent of the ice sheet, dumping tens of cubic kilometres of fresh water in the North Atlantic.
This gives it significant influence not just on global sea level rise but on the system of ocean circulation which drives through the Arctic.
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Labels:
climate,
Environment
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