Greenland Ice Core Suggests Potential for Disastrous Sea Level Rise

A new report indicates that Greenland’s ice sheet had a significant ice-free area approximately 400,000 years ago, during a period with temperatures similar to today’s.

This recent discovery came from an ice core that was collected beneath Greenland’s ice sheet several decades ago. The findings are troubling as they could have serious consequences for sea level rise.

The study has challenged previous beliefs that Greenland’s ice sheet remained frozen for millions of years.

The authors of the report revealed that instead, there was a period of moderate natural warming that caused extensive melting and a significant rise in sea levels—more than 1.4 meters (4.6 feet). The findings were published in the journal Science.

Paul Bierman, a scientist from the University of Vermont and one of the lead authors of the study, emphasized the importance of examining nature’s past actions as geoscientists.

By understanding what happened in the past, we can gain valuable insights into what might happen in the future.

Moreover, Bierman told CNN that what it indicates is ‘frightening.’

Levels of Co2 are 1.5 times more compared to 400,000 years ago

Currently, the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are 1.5 times greater than they were 400,000 years ago, and as a consequence, global temperatures are continuously rising.

The recent study suggests that if Greenland’s ice sheet experienced rapid melting in the past due to moderate warming, it could be more susceptible to the impacts of human-induced climate change than we previously realized.

The study authors warned that in the coming centuries, the ice sheet might become vulnerable to irreversible and fast-paced melting.

🧊 Rediscovered treasure: Greenland ice core uncovers grave sea level rise risks. We must address climate change urgently! 🌍 #sustainablefuture #greenlanddiscovery pic.twitter.com/WtwZ5MyH4h

— aungcrowngreen® (@aungcrowngreen) July 21, 2023

The potential consequences of such ice melting would be significant for sea level rise. If Greenland’s ice sheet were to completely melt, it could lead to a rise in sea levels of about 7 meters (23 feet). This would result in devastating impacts for billions of people residing along the world’s coastlines.

To conduct their research, Paul Bierman and an international team of scientists dedicated several years to the analysis of frozen sediment.

The sediment was obtained from an ice core collected back in 1966 at Camp Century, a United States army base located in northwest Greenland. The scientists drilled through over 4,500 feet of ice to extract a 12-foot-long sample containing soil and rock from beneath the ice sheet.

Discover of ‘fossilized frozen ecosystem’

During that time, the technology to thoroughly understand the sediment was not available, leading to its storage in a freezer for many years. However, in 2017, the sediment was rediscovered in Denmark.

Paul Bierman took the initiative to travel to Copenhagen and brought two samples back to the University of Vermont for testing. As the scientists began sifting through the samples to separate the sediment, they were surprised to find twigs, mosses, leaves, and seeds.

Bierman described this remarkable discovery as a “fossilized frozen ecosystem.” It provided compelling evidence that the ice sheet had completely disappeared at some point in the past. After all, as Bierman pointed out, plants cannot grow under a massive mile-thick layer of ice.