Melting of Greenland ice sheet set new record in 2010

Melting of Greenland ice sheet set new record in 2010, as some areas in the second largest ice body in the world experienced melting for longer duration last year, says a research conducted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and City College of New York.

This past melt season was exceptional, with melting in some areas stretching up to 50 days longer than average,” said Dr. Marco Tedesco, Director, Cryosphere Processes Laboratory, City College of New York.

“Melting in 2010 started exceptionally early at the end of April and ended quite late in mid- September,” said Dr Tedesco.

Covering 80 percent of the surface of Greenland country, the ice sheet is prone to effects of global warming. Melting of this ice sheet is expected to significantly rise the sea levels in the coming decades.

The new record in melting of Greenland ice sheet was due to exposure of bare ice for longer duration than in the past years.

“Bare ice is much darker than snow and absorbs more solar radiation,” said Dr Tedesco. ““This means the old ice is warming, melting, and running off into the sea.

Nuuk, the capital of Greenland, experienced the warmest spring and summer since the recording of temperatures started in 1873, the study said.

Covering 80 percent of the surface of Greenland country, the ice sheet is prone to effects of global warming. Melting of this ice sheet is expected to significantly rise the sea levels in the coming decades.

Besides, 2010 was the warmest year recorded on record surpassing the highest temperatures recorded in 2005 and 1998, a report by World Meteorological Organisation said on Thursday.

“The 2010 data confirm the Earth’s significant long-term warming trend,” said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud. “The ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 1998.”

In 2010, global average temperature was 0.53°C (0.95°F) above the average level during the period 1961-90.This value is 0.01°C (0.02°F) above the nominal temperature in 2005, and 0.02°C (0.05°F) above 1998.

More alarmingly, Arctic sea-ice cover in December 2010 was the lowest on record, with an average monthly extent of 12 million square kilometres, 1.35 million square kilometres below the 1979-2000 average for December. This followed the third-lowest minimum ice extent recorded in September.