A recent study published in the journal Nature states that the Greenland ice sheet is melting faster in the last 350 years. This is the first ever continuous research with multi-century analysis of the melting on the ice sheet and it reveals that this is one of the largest factors of global sea level rise.
A team of U.S lead by Luke Trusel, climate scientist and glaciologist from Rowan University and few European researchers have analyzed that in western Greenland more than 3 centuries of melt patterns in ice cores occurs.
A glaciologist working with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and also the study’s co-author Sarah Das made a statement which mentioned that this time the melting intensity is out of the records. There’s been a 50% rise in total ice sheet melting since the beginning of the industrial era and a 30% increment since the 20th century.
The Greenland melt rate has increased by 250 to 575 % since last 20 years in comparison with the pre-industrial melt intensity. In 2012, the melting was more rapid as compared to any other year.
The scientists add 2004-2013, witnessed a greater magnitude and a more sustained melt than any other period of 10-year in the last 350-year of record. Trusel said Nature that the melting is not just rising, but it’s accelerating, which is a big concern for the future.
