Scientists call breakaway of massive Greenland ice sheet part of warming trend

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill used a special session Tuesday to also address the massive ice sheet that broke free from Greenland. The 100 square mile-long iceberg is now floating south through the Nares Straight, between Canada and Greenland and could affect offshore oil platforms and the shipping industry.

Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, Congressmember Ed Markey said the event fits into a series of natural calamities during the first part of this year.

“Scientists have warned us that climate change will result in increasing melting of glaciers and polar ice, more frequent and intense heat waves and wildfires and increase drought and flooding.”

The ice sheet is the largest piece of Arctic ice to break loose since 1962 and is four times the size of New York’s Manhattan. The event follows the six warmest months on record, according to Markey.

At Tuesday’s briefing, Dr. Robert Bindschadler, Senior Research Scientist at University of Maryland, said that the ice sheet breaking off is consistent with the longer term view of ice melt in Greenland. He said both the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are losing mass at an increasing rate. Satellite data taken over the past seven years show a seasonal expansion and contraction but also a consistent trend of ice melt.

“And so year after year we see that seasonal fluctuation but superimposed on all that is not only a decrease trend in mass, but a decreasing trend that is losing mass faster and faster and faster. So those are hard data and there’s just no disputing that that is going on. So I think that’s the best view of the big picture.”

Another participant, Penn State’s Dr. Richard B. Alley warned that Greeland’s entire ice mass could disappear over the next decade if temperatures continue to rise. Alley said  that would lead to a global sea level rise of 23 feet.

NASA, the European Space Ageny and the Canadian Government are working together to monitor the colossal ice sheet, which scientists predict will break apart as it drifts to warmer waters. There is concern that because of its size, the resulting icebergs will be much larger and harder to steer to safe passage.