Researchers have detected countless tiny ice quakes deep within one of Greenland's largest ice streams, revealing a previously unknown mechanism driving ice flow and offering insights into sea-level rise predictions.
An international team of researchers has made a groundbreaking discovery about the dynamics of one of Greenland's mightiest ice streams. Using a fiber-optic cable deployed in a 2,700-meter-deep borehole, they detected countless tiny ice quakes occurring deep within the ice. These quakes, triggered and propagating over hundreds of meters, offer a new understanding of how ice streams flow and contribute to sea-level rise.
This finding challenges the traditional assumption that ice streams flow solely like viscous honey, revealing a more complex stick-slip motion. The discovery also sheds light on the origin of fault planes previously observed in ice cores, attributing them to these ice quakes. The researchers believe this finding will significantly improve the accuracy of computer simulations used to predict future sea-level changes. \The study, published in the journal Science, involved a team of researchers from ETH Zurich, the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), the University of Strasbourg, the Niels Bohr Institute (NBI), the Swiss Federal Institute WSL, and other universities. The research was conducted at the North East Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS), the largest ice stream of the Greenland ice sheet, which is rapidly retreating, contributing significantly to rising sea levels. The ice stream in this area moves towards the sea at a speed of roughly 50 meters per year. \The researchers were surprised to find that the ice quakes originate from impurities within the ice, namely tiny traces of sulfates carried by volcanic eruptions thousands of years ago. These volcanic particles, deposited on the Greenland ice sheet during snowfall, reduce the stability of the ice and promote the formation of microfissures. The ice quakes themselves are unable to reach the surface due to a layer of volcanic ash, 900 meters below the surface, which acts as a barrier. The discovery of these ice quakes provides a deeper understanding of the complex processes occurring within ice streams, highlighting the interconnectedness of geological and atmospheric events. The findings have significant implications for climate modeling and predicting the future impacts of melting ice sheets on global sea levels
Ice Quakes Greenland Ice Sheet Sea Level Rise Climate Change Ice Dynamics Computer Simulations
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