Due to climate change, Greenland's glaciers are retreating more and more. Because glaciers break off at the edges, it's difficult to get a good photo.
To calculate the exact volume at which the ice melts and breaks up, the researchers used thousands of satellite images. “Previous methods were not good at measuring changes in ice sheets,” explains Alex Gardner, a NASA researcher.
If the Greenland ice sheet melted completely, global sea levels would rise by about 7.4 metres. This is not the case yet, but according to scientists it is clear that the current temperature rise will cause sea levels to rise by at least 27 centimeters due to the melting of ice in Greenland.
They see another problem in affecting ocean currents. If increasing amounts of fresh water enter the ocean around Greenland, it could cause stronger rip currents along the coast.
As a result, the warm Gulf Stream, which creates a temperate climate in Europe, may actually weaken. There is still a lot of uncertainty about the exact consequences of this. One possibility is that this makes it colder in Europe, while the melting of the ice sheet is caused by warming.
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