Highlights
…in 2010, Greenland temperatures were the hottest on record. It also experienced record setting ice loss by melting. This ice loss is reflected in the latest data from the GRACE satellites which measure the change in gravity around the Greenland ice sheet.
The ice sheet has been steadily losing ice and the rate of ice loss has doubled over the 8 year period since gravity measurements began. The accelerating ice loss is independently confirmed by GPS measurements of uplifting bedrock. The GRACE data gives us an insight into why Greenland is losing ice mass at such an accelerating rate – ice loss has spread from the south east all the way up the west coast.
How is it possible that we have comparative data, when the Grace satellite just got launched? I can understand the current data being alarming in itself, but how can we already have charts going back so far, when the data gathering just started…?
Please let me know,
Thanks
Christopher Beau
Founder WhiteEarth.org
Grace satellites were launched beginning in 2002.
http://www.astronautix.com/craft/grace.htm