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.

Published Online October 19, 2006
Science DOI: 10.1126/science.1130776

Reports

Submitted on June 2, 2006
Accepted on October 10, 2006

Recent Greenland Ice Mass Loss by Drainage System from Satellite Gravity Observations

S. B. Luthcke 1*, H. J. Zwally 2, W. Abdalati 2, D. D. Rowlands 1, R. D. Ray 1, R. S. Nerem 3, F. G. Lemoine 1, J. J. McCarthy 4, D. S. Chinn 4

1 Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory, Code 698
2 Cryospheric Sciences Branch, Code 614.1, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA.
3 Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Dept of Aerospace Engineering Sciences, The University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309 USA.
4 Science Division, SGT Inc., Greenbelt, MD 20770 USA.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.
S. B. Luthcke , E-mail: Scott.B.Luthcke{at}nasa.gov

Mass changes of the Greenland ice sheet resolved by drainage system (DS) regions are derived from a local mass concentration analysis of the GRACE mission gravity observations. During 2003-2005, the ice sheet lost 101±16 Gt/yr with a gain of 54 Gt/yr above 2000 m and a loss of 155 Gt/yr at lower elevations. The lower elevations show a large seasonal cycle with mass losses during summer melting followed by gains from fall through spring. The overall rate of loss reflects a considerable change in trend (-113 ± 17 Gt/yr) from a near balance of the 1990's, but is smaller than some other recent estimates.


THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES:
Progress in satellite remote sensing of ice sheets.
D.J. Quincey and A. Luckman (2009)
Progress in Physical Geography 33, 547-567
   Abstract »    PDF »
Natural Variability of Greenland Climate, Vegetation, and Ice Volume During the Past Million Years.
A. de Vernal and C. Hillaire-Marcel (2008)
Science 320, 1622-1625
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Estimating the potential for twenty-first century sudden climate change.
D. Shindell (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc A 365, 2675-2694
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
Climate change and trace gases.
J. Hansen, M. Sato, P. Kharecha, G. Russell, D. W Lea, and M. Siddall (2007)
Phil Trans R Soc A 365, 1925-1954
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »
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 »
Rapid Changes in Ice Discharge from Greenland Outlet Glaciers.
I. M. Howat, I. Joughin, and T. A. Scambos (2007)
Science 315, 1559-1561
   Abstract »    Full Text »    PDF »


To Advertise     Find Products

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