Feb. 27, 2009 -- One of the world's most important remaining ice reserves on Earth remains deceptively cold. As the planet's poles thaw out, global sea level rise looms as one of the most dangerous side effects of global warming. Any excess chill may seem like good news for the planet. But a new study suggests that Greenland is lagging behind rest of the northern hemisphere's warming trend and that it's bound to catch up soon. Air temperatures have been rising steadily in the northern half of the planet since about 1975, when scientists think the effects of human-induced global warming began to dominate the climate. But Greenland was left behind, perhaps kept cool when dust released from the eruptions of Mount St. Helens, El Chicon and Mt. Pinatubo reduced the amount of sunlight hitting the ice. Related Content:
Around 1985 the icy island started to thaw, and has continued apace ever since. Climate scientists have been alarmed by the speed of the melting, watching as glaciers recede and meltwater pools in lakes on top of the ice. Still, in an analysis of temperature records in Greenland from 1840 until 2007, Jason Box of Ohio State University and a team of researchers found that the ice sheet remains between 1.0 and 1.5 degrees Centigrade (1.8 to 2.7 degree Fahrenheit) behind the rest of the northern hemisphere. And it should catch up in the coming decades. "The temperature increase could be three to four times what we've seen already. If that holds it will be far above anything we've seen before," David Bromwich of Ohio State University said. "The ice will continue melting and probably accelerate in the future." Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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