Greenland Glacier Experiences Massive Ice Loss, Study Finds

A study conducted by the Alfred Wegener Institute reveals that the 79° N-Glacier in northeast Greenland has lost more than 160 meters of ice thickness since 1998 due to warm ocean water melting the ice from below and high air temperatures causing lakes to form on the surface. The study shows that extreme melt rates have led to a 32% thinning of the glacier since 1998, with large channels forming on the underside of the ice. The researchers expect the floating glacier tongue to break apart in the next few years to decades, emphasizing the need to study this process in detail to gain insight into the course of the disintegration.