Heat wave triggers massive melting in Greenland
The Greenland ice sheet is melting at a record speed, scientists said. In one day, he loses so much water that it could flood the entire state of Florida with a layer of about five centimeters.
Since July 27, the ice sheet has been losing approximately 9.37 billion tons (8.5 billion metric tons) of ice every day – double the summer average, according to Danish website Polar Portal . The melting began after temperatures in northern Greenland surpassed 20 degrees Celsius – twice as high as normal in the summer months.
The high temperatures on July 28 led to the third largest one-day ice loss in Greenland since 1950 (previous records were in 2012 and 2019).
Scientists noted that the Greenland ice sheet began to shrink since 1990, and now the rate of its disappearance is four times higher than it was 20 years ago.
In 2021, the ice sheet lost fewer gigatons than in 2019, but the total melting area exceeded two years ago. Experts estimate that if all the ice in Greenland melts completely, the sea level will rise by six meters.
Experts linked the accelerated melting to the anticyclone that formed over Greenland. This is a high pressure area that traps heated air. Anticyclones cause prolonged abnormal heat from all parts of the world.
The melting season in Greenland usually lasts from June to early September. According to the Danish government, 110 billion tons of ice has already disappeared this year.
The Greenland ice sheet is the only permanent ice sheet on Earth besides Antarctica. According to the latest data, its area is 1.7 billion square kilometers.
Earlier it became known that the waters of Greenland contain a large amount of mercury. This substance is toxic to animals and humans.
