New Maps Show How Greenland’s Ice Sheet Is Melting from the Bottom Up
When we think of global warming, we usually think of unbearably hot summers, freezing winter along with super storms in between. We think this because generally the “warming” that earth receives comes from the sun, above us. However, global warming has effects that can come from deep underneath. Rising ocean levels can come from two distinct factors. Over time, the oceans rise in temperature from the greenhouse gases locked into our atmosphere. This means that the water expands because of the increase in heat. The increase in temperature can also cause ice sheets and glaciers to melt adding to the oceans’ rising levels. This article discusses how Greenland’s ice sheets are melting from the increasingly warmer ocean water surrounding it. In addition,”more ice in Greenland’s glaciers may be exposed to warming ocean waters than previously thought.” With more incoming knowledge of the immense size of these glaciers and ice sheets, the effects of them melting can be more damaging than previously thought. Even the topographical area can affect the melting of these glaciers. “A downward slope, for instance, might cause the glacier to retreat more quickly, while ridges or other topographical features might help to slow or halt the backward motion.” From the bottom up or the top down, ocean levels are rising because of the increasing temperatures of global warming. Awareness of the problems we face because of climate change is the first step to remedying it.
