Latvian Geologists Find Unexpected Glacier Structure in Greenland
University of Latvia scientists have returned from a month-long expedition to northern Greenland, discovering that the outlet glacier they studied consists of cold ice despite its considerable thickness. The finding challenges previous assumptions about glacier thermal structure.
Researchers from the Department of Geology at the University of Latvia's Faculty of Physics, Mathematics and Optometry have completed their third expedition to Greenland, spending a month studying the Fan outlet glacier of the Qaanaaq ice cap in the north of the country.
Unexpected measurements
Using ground-penetrating radar, the team collected data along roughly 35 kilometers of the glacier. The results indicate that the glacier is composed of so-called "cold" ice — ice that does not reach its melting point — even though the ice reaches thicknesses of up to 300 meters in places.
Contradicting prior assumptions
Until now, scientists generally assumed that glaciers of such thickness would be made of "warm" ice. The data gathered by the Latvian team point to a markedly different thermal structure than expected.
The researchers say these findings need to be factored into future projections of glacier development and their response to climate change.
Photographs from the expedition have been published, and more details on the research are available on Latvian Radio's program "Zināmais nezināmajā" ("The Known in the Unknown").
