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Cool Down: Scientist Says ‘Unprecedented’ Greenland Ice Melt Actually Follows Expected Pattern

Jul. 25, 2012 8:09am
NASA Alludes to Unprecedented Greenland Ice Sheet Melt Having Some Natural Origin

Satellite imagery shows ice melt in July of Greenland. (Image: Nicolo E. DiGirolamo, SSAI/NASA GSFC, and Jesse Allen, NASA Earth)

NASA satellite images reveal a phenomenon has occurred in Greenland this month, showing melting activity on nearly all parts of the island’s massive ice sheet.

The Associated Press called this a “freak” event. NASA calls it “unprecedented.” Others have used words like “alarming pace,” “extreme rate,” and “massive” to describe the melt.

Although some of these descriptions aren’t entirely untrue, even within NASA’s own announcement of this observation, a Goddard Space Flight Center scientist said these types of melting events occur every 150 years, on average.

With the last event happening in 1889, Lora Koening said “this event is right on time.”

She does note that if strong melting events like this continue in future years, “it will be worrisome.”

NASA says three satellites saw the melting over four days beginning July 8. Most of the thick ice remains. But what is technically unusual about this event is that the melting occurred over a widespread area.

NASA says the melting area went from 40 percent of the ice sheet to 97 percent. Until now, the most extensive melt seen by satellites in the past 30 years was about 55 percent over the summer months.

As AP puts it, scientists can’t say yet if the melting is from global warming or natural.

“The Greenland ice sheet is a vast area with a varied history of change. This event, combined with other natural but uncommon phenomena, such as the large calving event last week on Petermann Glacier, are part of a complex story,” said Tom Wagner, NASA’s cryosphere program manager, in a statement. “Satellite observations are helping us understand how events like these may relate to one another as well as to the broader climate system.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Comments (81)

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  • TEARS FOR AMERICA
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:47am

    That which has been is that which will be, And that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun. Ecclessiastes 1:9

    Report this comment

    TEARS FOR AMERICA  
    • Matt
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 12:25pm

      That scripture applies specifically to the actions of human beings…but yeah, you’re basically correct.

      Report this comment

      Matt  
    • Chrono_Sleuth
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:00pm

      Yep…what’s sad is the idea that scientists are worried a known and natural occurrence which they expect to happen anyway will somehow miraculously repeat. Oh no. So that means that we should freak out if a wheel turns in water, because it’s…you know, expected to happen, and known it will happen?

      Wow, and they call themselves “scientists.”

      Report this comment

      Chrono_Sleuth  
  • South Philly Boy
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:06am

    Global Warming + algore = FRAUD

    Report this comment

    South Philly Boy  
    • Josh2007
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 3:22am

      “As AP puts it, scientists can’t say yet if the melting is from global warming or natural.”

      Well there is no such thing as global warming, so…..

      Report this comment

      Josh2007  
  • GrayPanther
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:39am

    There was a time 1,000 years ago when the Vikings farmed Greenland and there was no Western industrial revolution going on. Then again, there were no communists at that time to cause trouble. Nature is still in charge! CO2 is less than 4/10 of ONE percent of our atmosphere! So we should stop using coal? Get out of here!

    Report this comment

    GrayPanther  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 1:54am

      NO … We should stop using water, since that is the primary greenhouse gas.

      Report this comment

      Stoic one  
  • pap pap
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:24am

    I don’t see any Green.

    Report this comment

    pap pap  
  • nueces
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:04am

    OMG OMG OMG !!!! LOOK! All the white went away on the map! The snow all melted! OMG we are doomed! We must vote for democrats and empower the UN to save us all! It’s our only chance!

    Report this comment

    nueces  
  • Listen_then_think
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:49am

    Yes if all of that is due to the freaks/profiteers “global change ” crap, why aren’t the Maldives under water now? Where is all the beach rising and flooding?

    Report this comment

    Listen_then_think  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:31am

    The last time it melted was1889? Must have been driving a lot of big SUVs back then!

    Report this comment

    Gonzo  
    • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:05am

      It was a truly massive armada of Nissan Armadas.

      Report this comment

      Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:26am

      They should have gone with elecetric horses and the whole thing could have been avoided.

      Report this comment

      Gonzo  
    • maumau
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 11:20am

      yea they gathered the data from the satellites that were orbiting at 1889, right…..

      Report this comment

      maumau  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:39pm

      “Although some of these descriptions aren’t entirely untrue, even within NASA’s own announcement of this observation, a Goddard Space Flight Center scientist said these types of melting events occur every 150 years, on average.
      With the last event happening in 1889, Lora Koening said “this event is right on time.”

      My, oh my…. what will JZS have to say about this? I’ll have to hold my opinion until the “magnificent one” shares his intellectual views.

      Report this comment

      The-Monk  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:50pm

      @maumau
      “yea they gathered the data from the satellites that were orbiting at 1889, right…..”

      No, people have been inhabiting Greenland since “about” 2500 BC and they can tell fairly easily when the ice melts and record it in literature. You see, people can “see” ice melting; especially nomadic people that tend to roam around to find food.

      Today we use the “newer” technologies to measure and compare the historical facts of Nature.

      What you progressive misfits ALWAYS fail to realize is this;

      “We live on a Living and Breathing Planet and do not have a Living and Breathing Constitution.”

      Report this comment

      The-Monk  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:57pm

      @Lesbian Packing Hollow Points

      Armada squared?

      You and Gonzo made my night ! LOL

      Report this comment

      The-Monk  
  • MikeNelson
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:30am

    With all this Greenland ice melt, where is the projected flooding of beach front property? I left Cape Hatteras last week and it looked the same to me as last year.

    Report this comment

    MikeNelson  
  • katenga
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:28am

    Oh good.. there’s one scientist saying it’s all fine. No need to worry, then! Stupid main stream science people…. freakin’ elitists. They think they’re better than us!

    Report this comment

    katenga  
    • zipzap
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:33am

      Oh, no, not this argument again. I get it. You ignore the dissenting scientists and label “your guys” as the mainstreamers. Umm hmm.

      Report this comment

      zipzap  
  • John 3:16
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:24am

    OH MY MY MY !! Henny Penny the sky is falling !!! the sky is falling !!!.” Please send us Atlas Gore our new green supper Hero and uh!!! super swift boat Captain.He can surely save the world and enslave the sheeple.

    Report this comment

    John 3:16  
  • texasfarmer
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:24am

    Maybe the island will start to tilt just like Guam.

    Report this comment

    texasfarmer  
  • THX-1138
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:22am

    After returning to England from a tour a reporter asked John Lennon, “How did you find America?”.

    He replied, “We turned left at Greenland.”

    Report this comment

    THX-1138  
  • leftcoastslut
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:16am

    good, with all that excess water cooling the atlantic ocean, i think that means that this winter year should have lots of rain…. aren’t most of you in a drought? this is good.

    Report this comment

    leftcoastslut  
  • cloudsofwar
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 9:11am

    be afraid be very afraid. send Obama all your money to stop global warming, stop the seas from rising, and what the he!! was that other one? vote all republican this november and stop Obama.

    Report this comment

    cloudsofwar  
  • Ghengas
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:52am

    Add your comments

    Report this comment

    Ghengas  
  • TimO_Florida
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:50am

    The problem is that everyone wants to base their idea of ‘normal weather’ on what they’ve seen in their lifetime (i.e. the last 40-50 years). Anything else MUST be an ‘apocalypse’, when in reality things have been much worse before and they’ll be much worse again….

    Report this comment

    TimO_Florida  
  • Copo
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:49am

    It’s called summer

    Report this comment

    Copo  
    • Gonzo
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:28am

      Every year it starts to heat up in April! Something must be done!

      Report this comment

      Gonzo  
  • term limits for congress
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:43am

    Large calving event? There’s the answer – methane gas from the cows.

    Report this comment

    term limits for congress  
  • 4xeverything
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:42am

    The Earth tilts. The northern hemisphere is closer to the sun. Uhhh, its called summer. Hmmm, I did retain something from 3rd grade science class.

    Report this comment

    4xeverything  
    • Stoic one
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 2:05am

      Actually during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, the Earth is at it’s farthest point from the Sun. The Sun’s rays are ‘concentrated’ because of axial tilt so the the northern part of the globe is warmer

      Report this comment

      Stoic one  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on July 26, 2012 at 8:38am

      Geesh, now I feel like an idiot! I knew that and remembered just as I hit post. Thanks for the fact check, STOIC. :0)

      Report this comment

      4xeverything  
    • isranner
      Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:20am

      Just wait 13,000 years and you’ll be right.

      Report this comment

      isranner  
  • Obamujahadeen
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:33am

    GREEN land becomes green again.. News at 10… ;)

    Report this comment

    Obamujahadeen  
  • BobtheMoron
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:23am

    When it freezes over thicker than normal will it be global cooling?

    Report this comment

    BobtheMoron  
  • Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:23am

    Freak event – Pelosi got lost on the icepack and her gaze w/o makeup set the ice on fire.

    Report this comment

    Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
  • Psychosis
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:20am

    to hear the loons at the huff in puff, you would think that all the ice melted away

    this is just the top LAYER of ice melting , and as reported here, not a new phenomenon, just a rare one

    seems to me, the worlds weather pattern is pretty much on schedule as the last time this happened was approx 150 yrs ago

    by the way, why is it called GREENLAND ???? perhaps because at one point it was ALL green???

    Report this comment

    Psychosis  
    • 4xeverything
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:46am

      I can’t believe you would use logic to come to a logical conclusion. Psshh!

      Report this comment

      4xeverything  
    • Puddle Duck
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:40pm

      In places that ice sheet is over a mile thick, even if we had year round unusual warming in that area it would decades before the entire sheet melted…not that is going to happen as the trend is toward cooling rather than warming. During the 40′s (and at the height of WWII) the winters of 41-44 were some of the coldest most miserable winters the world had seen for centuries and yet without a doubt massive amounts of fossil fiel were being burned, coal,timber, cities & people entire regions razed to the ground and yet….the 50′s through to the end of the 70′s were somewhat warmer but not decidedly so. In any event the weather extremes would not be viewed as extremes if data were collected going back say over 1000 years. The level of stupidity the enviro whackos expect of thier supporters should give anyone pause when one considers all of the factors that actually do influence the weather to a great degree…man is not among those factors.

      Report this comment

      Puddle Duck  
  • historyguy48
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:16am

    Comrades Greenland was properly named Green Land when the Vikings colonized it during one of its warm spells.While that ultimately didn’t work out to well for them, since the vikings that didn’t leave starved to death, when the ice returned.
    There is really very little that is new in history.

    Report this comment

    historyguy48  
    • Cataclysm
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 10:50am

      Historical evidence shows that Greenland was Green once, it was much like the mid-west of the ASA. Viking remains shows when they first settled Greenland, it was warm and Vikings ate mostly sheep and goat, which feed of the fields. As generations past scientist noticed that the Vikings started eating more and more fish, the scientists noticed that the climate at that time was getting colder and the glaciers were growing larger. At some point even that water got too cold for the fish and the fish left, so the Vikings with no food source left with the weather too cold for the sheep and the goats the Vikings left Greenland. More evidence that the Earth goes through hot and cold cycles all the time and Man-Made Global Warming is a FRAUD.

      Report this comment

      Cataclysm  
  • woodyee
    Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:14am

    It could be that shifting winds carried heat from one of Algores speeches over Greenland…

    Report this comment

    woodyee  
    • woodyee
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:21am

      On a serious note, it could be our planet is drawing closer to the Sun, at it has done thousands of times before. GREENland used to be…

      …just like Montana was once lush with tropical plants and warm sea water…

      Report this comment

      woodyee  
    • Puddle Duck
      Posted on July 25, 2012 at 8:47pm

      Our orbit is not a perfect circle around the sun, it is elipside in nature and you sir are exactly right…we are in the phase of the orbit where the planet is closest to the sun. That being said what makes the year to changes seem uneven has to do with the SUN’s activities as it also has phases where it’s output os greater than other times ( solar storms, mass ejections, gamma bursts ) …today’s AGW believer should be laughed at and shown contempt for THIER ignorance, if nothing else.

      Report this comment

      Puddle Duck  
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