The polar ice is indeed melting, a process that relates not only to the melting itself, but also to the balance between snowfall and melting of the ice. NASA satellite lasers monitor ice thickness in Antarctica and Greenland, identifying where the ice sheets are thinning and losing mass the fastest to the ocean. Currently, the melting of polar ice is the main driver of sea level rise, prompting scientists to diligently study the relationship between ice sheets and sea level.
Is the polar ice melting?
The simple and clear answer is yes. It actually melts. But it’s a bit more complicated than that. You can think of the ice sheets or Antarctica and Greenland as a bathtub full of water. And we want to know how much goes into that tub and how much comes out.
So, for example, snow falling on the ice sheet is like turning on the faucet. You turn on the faucet, it fills with water and then it melts, when you get a warm atmosphere or a warm ocean, it opens the drain and lets the water out. So it’s not just about melting. It’s also about how much snow falls and what the balance is there.
Is the polar ice melting? The sobering answer is yes, and it is the number one factor in sea level rise. NASA scientist Dr. Brooke Medley tells us how NASA is studying the relationship between ice sheets and sea levels to better understand our changing planet. Credit: NASAAt NASA, we can really easily observe both Antarctica and Greenland from space. And we have satellite lasers that actually measure ice thickness over time. And so we can actually watch where the ice sheets are thinning and losing mass to the ocean the fastest.
So is the polar ice melting? The answer is yes. And it is currently the number one contributor to sea level rise. And that’s why NASA has scientists like me studying the relationship between ice sheets and sea level every day.