Ice losses in the shrinking Greenland ice sheet far surpass its ice gains presently! It has been revealed by NASA for the first time by analyzing data from direct, detailed satellite measurements.
Using a novel technique, NASA’s scientists at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. have revealed regional changes in the massive ice sheet’s weight across the entire continent.
It is between 2003 and 2005, the low coastal regions of Greenland have lost 155 gigatons (41 cubic miles) of ice per year from excess melting and icebergs. But in comparison, the high-elevation interior gained ‘just’ 54 gigatons (14 cubic miles) annually from excess snowfall.
The study is published in Science Express, Science’s advance edition, on Oct. 19.