Greenland ice sheet seen melting in real-time from Earth orbit

The Greenland Ice Sheet, part of which is shown in this image of Jakobshavn Glacier, is now melting at an incredibly rapid pace, pushing sea levels upward while upsetting global weather patterns.

Precise measurements of the ice sheet’s changing shape and volume matter greatly at this point in Earth’s history because accurate data helps scientists understand what’s coming next.

Until recently, getting this information was tricky.

Now, two advanced missions, ESA’s CryoSat and NASA’s ICESat-2, have joined forces to offer data that reaches far beyond old limits.

Their combined measurements deliver a more complete view that was not possible before.

Measuring Greenland ice melt

As of today, scientists have recorded the first measurements of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s shape changes using both CryoSat and ICESat-2 satellites.

This work is led by researchers from the UK Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling (CPOM). Lead author and CPOM researcher Nitin Ravinder has confirmed that these missions are able to capture changes in ice elevation with impressive accuracy.

Technologies from different skies

To measure the rapid loss of the ice all across Greenland, one of the mission satellites relies on radar, and the other uses a laser.

Radar can measure through clouds but needs careful adjustments because it can pass into the ice surface before bouncing back.

Laser measurements track the actual surface but cannot see through clouds.

These tools stand at opposite ends, yet when put together, they form a better pair than either could alone.

In fact, a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters notes that CryoSat and ICESat-2 measurements of Greenland Ice Sheet elevation change agree within 3% of what is actually happening.

This stronger confidence means if one mission fails, the other can still keep track of ice changes.

“We are very excited to have discovered that CryoSat and ICESat-2 are in such close agreement. Their complementary nature provides a strong motivation to combine the data sets to produce improved estimates of ice sheet volume and mass changes,” says lead author and CPOM researcher Nitin Ravinder.

“As ice sheet mass loss is a key contributor to global sea level rise, this is incredibly useful for the scientific community and policymakers.”

Greenland, ice, and natural beauty

Greenland, the world’s largest island, sits between the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. It is mostly covered with thick ice, and its glaciers run from the heart of the island to its shores.

There are small towns along the coastal edges where people make a life that ties closely to the environment.

Long winters and brief summers shape a culture centered on fishing, hunting, and a respect for nature’s power.

The capital, Nuuk, brings together old traditions and new ways of living in a place where weather is a big player in daily life.

Melting ice and everyday lives

A warming climate makes Greenland’s glaciers break apart and slip into the ocean. As they melt, sea levels climb, and coastal cities thousands of miles away face the threat of water creeping up their streets.

Wildlife in Greenland itself struggles when the ice they depend on thins. Polar bears, seals, and walruses have fewer safe spots to rest and hunt.

For local people, the loss of stable ice can disrupt fishing and hunting practices. Shifts in ocean currents triggered by fresh meltwater also change weather patterns, and that can spell trouble for everyone.

Real numbers behind Greenland ice melt

Between 2010 and 2023, Greenland’s ice sheet thinned by an average of four feet In the ice sheet’s ablation zone, where summer melting outpaces winter snowfall, the average thinning reached 20 feet.

The worst thinning was at Sermeq Kujalleq, also known as Jakobshavn Isbræ, with a peak thinning of 220 feet. At Zachariae Isstrøm in the northeast, peak thinning hit about 250 feet.

Altogether, the ice sheet shrank by 7,700 cubit feet over a 13-year stretch. It lost more than 1300 cubic feet in 2012 and 2019, matching extreme conditions.

According to the study, these changes affect not only local environments but global weather patterns.

“CryoSat has provided an invaluable platform for understanding our planet’s ice coverage over the past 14 years, but by aligning our data with ICESat-2, we’ve opened new avenues for precision and insight,” says Tommaso Parrinello, CryoSat Mission Manager at ESA.

“This collaboration represents an exciting step forward, not just in terms of technology but in how we can better serve scientists and policymakers who rely on our data to understand and mitigate climate impacts.”

Aligning with sister missions

The Cryo2ice campaign that began in 2020 let scientists put CryoSat and ICESat-2 measurements side by side.

By adjusting CryoSat’s orbit, ESA allowed the two satellites to gather radar and laser data over the same areas, almost at the same time.

This set the stage for measuring snow depth from space with a level of accuracy that simply did not exist before.

“It is great to see that the data from ‘sister missions’ are providing a consistent picture of the changes going on in Greenland,” says Thorsten Markus, project scientist for the ICESat-2 mission at NASA.

“Understanding the similarities and differences between radar and lidar ice sheet height measurements allow us to fully exploit the complementary nature of those satellite missions.”

Studies like this are critical to put a comprehensive time series of the ICESat, CryoSat-2, ICESat-2, and, in the future, CRISTAL missions together.

Greenland ice and Earth’s future

The accurate data now available will help in decisions that governments must make soon. Timely, reliable information on ice thickness shifts can guide planning for coastal infrastructure.

It matters to millions of people who live near shores in every corner of the planet, and for those who rely on stable weather patterns to grow food and make a living.

ESA’s CryoSat and NASA’s ICESat-2 work as a team to keep an eye on the ice. Together, they paint a detailed picture of changes in Greenland.

That picture gives experts and leaders better tools for understanding the future and figuring out how to adapt.

The full study was published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

Video Credit: ESA/Planetary Visions

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