Abstract
Interferometric synthetic‐aperture radar (InSAR) observations of southeast Greenland glaciers acquired by the Earth Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS‐1/2) in 1996 were combined with ice sounding radar data collected in the late 1990s to estimate a total discharge of 46 ± 3 km3 ice per year between 62°N and 66°N, which is significantly lower than a mass input of 29 ± 3 km3 ice per year calculated from a recent compilation of snow accumulation data. Further north, Helheim Glacier discharges 23 ± 1 km3/yr vs 30 ± 3 km3/yr accumulation; Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier discharges 29 ± 2 km3/yr vs 23 ± 2 km3/yr; and Daugaard‐Jensen Glacier discharges 10.5 ± 0.6 km3/yr vs 10.5 ± 1 km3/yr. The mass balance of east Greenland glaciers is therefore dominated by the negative mass balance of southeast Greenland glaciers (−17 ± 4 km3/yr), equivalent to a sea level rise of 0.04 ± 0.01 mm/yr. Warmer and drier conditions cannot explain the imbalance which we attribute to long‐term changes in ice dynamics.
Highlights
[2] Several methods exist to determine the state of mass balance of an ice sheet, and its present contribution to sea level rise
A large number of glaciers were studied in this manner in the north-west, north, and northeast parts of the Greenland ice sheet using satellite radar interferometry data, ice sounding radar data, laser altimetry data, and a radar altimetry-derived elevation model of the ice sheet [Rignot et al, 2001]
Despite residual uncertainties in snow accumulation, it was concluded that this sector of the ice sheet exhibits a slightly negative mass balance
Summary
Received 12 January 2004; revised 10 March 2004; accepted 14 April 2004; published 25 May 2004. [1] Interferometric synthetic-aperture radar (InSAR) observations of southeast Greenland glaciers acquired by the Earth Remote Sensing Satellites (ERS-1/2) in 1996 were combined with ice sounding radar data collected in the late 1990s to estimate a total discharge of 46 ± 3 km ice per year between 62°N and 66°N, which is significantly lower than a mass input of 29 ± 3 km ice per year calculated from a recent compilation of snow accumulation data. The mass balance of east Greenland glaciers is dominated by the negative mass balance of southeast Greenland glaciers (À17 ± 4 km3/yr), equivalent to a sea level rise of 0.04 ± 0.01 mm/yr. R. McConnell (2004), Rapid ice discharge from southeast Greenland glaciers, Geophys.
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