ice-free Greenland

Geologists have found evidence that sedimentary rocks just below the current ice sheet were deposited in an ice-free environment during a moderate warming period between 424,000 and 374,000 years ago. This melting caused sea ​​level rise of at least 2 meters on earth.

This is the first indisputable evidence that much of the Greenland ice sheet is disappearing with warming.
– says geophysicist Paul Bierman of the University of Vermont.

The scientists studied quartz from a rock sample. It contains isotopes of beryllium and aluminum, which are formed on earth under the influence of cosmic rays. Thanks to this, it was possible to determine how long the rocks remained on the open surface – approximately 14,000 years.

A new study shows that the island completely melted and became covered with vegetation during the “interglacial period.” Temperatures then were the same or slightly warmer than today. After that it started freezing again.

What about today?

Most likely, the Greenland ice sheet is more susceptible to human-induced climate change than previously thought. Scientists believe that frozen soil will melt irreversibly and quickly in the coming centuries. Understanding Greenland’s past is crucial for predicting future responses to climate warming.

If only part of the Greenland ice sheet melts, sea level will rise significantly. By modeling the rate of melting and the response to high carbon dioxide levels, we see that sea level will rise by meters, and possibly tens of meters. And then look at the height of New York, Boston, Miami, Amsterdam, India and Africa – most megacities are located at approximately sea level,
Professor Tammy Rittenour noted.

We already have evidence that Greenland is melting fast.

• Observations made in 2021 revealed that 8.5 billion tons of ice melted there on a warm July day alone.
• A few weeks later, it rained on the island for the first time in observation history. It was soon called a natural disaster as the sparse rains in the region had long-term negative effects.
• In 2023, scientists announced that the Greenland ice sheet was too close to the point of no return, and after that it would be too late to react.