Scientists alarmed as massive ice sheet begins rapid melting

Scientists are in shock as a massive Greenland ice sheet has started melting far sooner than expected and in great volume. The data is so surprising, the researchers initially believed it to be an error.

LOS ANGELES, CA (California Network) - On April 11, sensors that monitored melting in Greenland recorded a massive rate of melting that is unprecedented in April. Twelve percent of the ice sheet was covered in melt water. Such rates of melting are not typically observed until May.

The melting was so early and so high, that the Danish scientists monitoring the data had to check the data including the models and sensors. Everything checked out.

The only other occasions when something similar was observed were in all in early May, and all since 1990.
 

If such events become more common, or even regular, they could shed massive quantities of warm water into the North Atlantic, which has consequences for both sea level rise and global temperatures.

Scientists believe much of the water will refreeze, but even this is bad as it still transfers heat deeper into the glacier, creating weakened layers in the ice. which leads to more runoff later. Such warming can cause the ice to melt even faster in subsequent years.

Over the past century, more than 9 million metric tons of ice have been lost from the ice sheet in Greenland alone.