Greenland Ice Flow Slowed By 'Hidden Plumbing'
RedOrbit Thursday 27th January, 2011
Posted on: Thursday, 27 January 2011, 09:26 CST Hotter summers may not be as catastrophic for the Greenland ice sheet as previously feared and may actually slow down the flow of glaciers, according to new research.A letter published in Nature on 27 January explains how increased melting in warmer years causes the internal drainage system of the ice sheet to 'adapt' and accommodate more melt-water, without speeding up the flow of ice toward the oceans. The findings have important implications for future assessments of global sea level rise.The Greenland ice sheet covers roughly 80% of the surface of the island and contains enough water to raise sea levels by 7 meters if it were to melt completely. Rising temperatures in the Arctic in recent years have caused the ice sheet to shrink, prom...
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