CryoSat and ICESat-2: A Powerful Duo Tackling Greenland’s Melting Ice
The Greenland Ice Sheet, a vast expanse of frozen water covering over 1.7 million square kilometers, is melting at an alarming rate due to climate change. This melting contributes significantly to global sea level rise and disrupts weather patterns worldwide.
Scientists have long used satellite data to monitor these changes, but new research reveals the combined power of two NASA and ESA missions – CryoSat and ICESat-2 – in providing unprecedented insights into the ice sheet’s shrinking mass.
Complementary Technology for Enhanced Data
Both satellites carry altimeters – instruments that measure Earth’s surface height – but utilize different technologies. CryoSat uses a radar system that can penetrate clouds, while ICESat-2 employs a laser system for more precise surface measurements. This complementary nature allows scientists to overcome the limitations of each individual technology and achieve a more accurate picture of ice loss.
Years of Data Reveal Staggering Results
A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters by researchers at the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM) revealed that CryoSat and ICESat-2 measurements agree to within 3% of the actual ice changes. This finding validates the potential for combining their data to create a more reliable estimate of ice loss than either could achieve alone.
The study’s analysis, spanning 13 years from 2010 to 2023, showed alarming consequences:
- The Greenland Ice Sheet thinned by an average of 1.2 meters.
- In areas experiencing heavy summer melting, the thinning reached a staggering 6.4 meters.
- Outlet glaciers, key waterways for ice discharge, saw the most extreme thinning, reaching 67 meters at Sermeq Kujalleq and 75 meters at Zachariae Isstrøm.
- The ice sheet shrunk by a massive 2347 cubic kilometers – equivalent to the volume of Africa’s Lake Victoria.
Collaborative Efforts for a Brighter Future
The study highlights the success of the Cryo2ice campaign, a joint ESA-NASA initiative that synchronized CryoSat’s orbit with ICESat-2, allowing for near-simultaneous collection of radar and laser data. This synchronization offers unprecedented accuracy in tracking ice thickness changes.
Continuous monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet is critical for understanding its impact on global sea levels and weather patterns. The combined power of CryoSat and ICESat-2 provides a vital tool for scientists and policymakers to track these changes, predict future impacts, and develop strategies to mitigate climate change.
By understanding the challenges facing our planet, we can work together to find solutions and secure a sustainable future for generations to come.