Pervasive ice sheet mass loss reflects competing ocean and atmosphere processes
University of Washington · Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory · +10 more institutions
Abstract
Quantifying changes in Earth's ice sheets and identifying the climate drivers are central to improving sea level projections. We provide unified estimates of grounded and floating ice mass change from 2003 to 2019 using NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and ICESat-2 satellite laser altimetry. Our data reveal patterns likely linked to competing climate processes: Ice loss from coastal Greenland (increased surface melt), Antarctic ice shelves (increased ocean melting), and Greenland and Antarctic outlet glaciers (dynamic response to ocean melting) was partially compensated by mass gains over ice sheet interiors (increased snow accumulation). Losses outpaced gains, with grounded-ice loss…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 60.14
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 103
Authors
15- BSBen SmithCorresponding
University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
- HAH. A. Fricker
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego
- AGAlex Gardner
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- BMBrooke Medley
Goddard Space Flight Center
- JNJohan Nilsson
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Topics & keywords
- Atmosphere (unit)
- Ice sheet
- Oceanography
- Environmental science
- Astrobiology
- Atmospheric sciences
- Geology
- Climatology
- Life below water