Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Active Motif, Inc.

Site Tools

  • AAAS
  • Subscribe
  • Feedback

Site Search

Search Advanced

Published Online August 10, 2006
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1129007

Reports

Submitted on April 20, 2006
Accepted on July 7, 2006

Satellite Gravity Measurements Confirm Accelerated Melting of Greenland Ice Sheet

J. L. Chen 1*, C. R. Wilson 2, B. D. Tapley 1

1 Center for Space Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
2 Center for Space Research, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA; Jackson School of Geosciences, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, TX 78712, USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
J. L. Chen , E-mail: chen{at}csr.utexas.edu

Using time-variable gravity measurements from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission, we estimate ice mass changes over Greenland during the period April 2002 to November 2005. After correcting for effects of spatial filtering and limited resolution of GRACE data, estimated total ice melting rate over Greenland is -239 ± 23 cubic kilometers per year, mostly from East Greenland. This estimate agrees remarkably well with a recent assessment of -224 ± 41 cubic kilometers per year, based on satellite radar interferometry data. GRACE estimates in southeast Greenland suggest accelerated melting since the summer of 2004, consistent with the latest remote sensing measurements.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Recent Sea-Level Contributions of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets.
A. Shepherd and D. Wingham (2007)
Science 315, 1529-1532
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Recent Greenland Ice Mass Loss by Drainage System from Satellite Gravity Observations.
S. B. Luthcke, H. J. Zwally, W. Abdalati, D. D. Rowlands, R. D. Ray, R. S. Nerem, F. G. Lemoine, J. J. McCarthy, and D. S. Chinn (2006)
Science 314, 1286-1289
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »

E-Letters:

Read all E-Letters

For What Minus Sign?
Joseph R North, et al.
Science Online, 6 Mar 2007 [Full text]

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

ADVERTISEMENT
Click Me!

To Advertise     Find Products

Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)