Huge cracks developing in Greenland ice sheet, threaten rise in sea level

The result of climate change was revealed by the drone shots during a recent study led by Cambridge University showing cerulean blue lake consisting of glacial meltwater on the surface of the Greenland ice sheet. The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States presented the observations of supraglacial lake drainage on December 2 which gave in-situ images of the Greenland glaciers which were previously unknown. However, in June 2018, Greenland became the world's tallest waterfalls in just a course of five hours. 

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For recent research, the scientists were equipped with aerial drones. This high-tech equipment helped to witness the partial lake drainage and might help the researches to better understand how the surface melting of the ice sheet affect its melt rate and threaten the rise in sea level. The new study has determined that the researchers are underestimating the number of melt ponds which develops each year partially and rapidly. 

The findings also further suggest that scientists need to tweak the computer models which are used to predict the rise from Greenland. Also, this was the first study disclosing that lake drainage can occur through the cracks in the ice rather than other mechanisms. 

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Alarming lake drainage

The expanding fractures cause alarming lake drainages, during which huge quantities of water are being transferred to below the surface of the ice. Researchers have also recorded changes in the ice flow at an escalated speed than were previously considered possible. The Greenland ice sheet covers nearly 1,710,000 square kilometres which are at least 80 per cent of the surface of Greenland. As the weather warms each year, reportedly thousands of caverns which are also known as 'moulins' are formed on the surface of the ice through which water descends to the bottom and increases the sea level. Through this descend of water, massive waterfalls are created down the depth of ice sheet which can nearly be around one kilometre thick. 

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(With inputs from agencies)