The Polar Portal 2014 Season Report is out

Polarportal.org has published this year’s season report. The most important results for the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Arctic sea ice are summed up.

Throughout the year, the researchers have made observations and calculations of the Greenland Ice Sheet and the Arctic sea ice. After the end of the melt season it is now time to give a status. The report comes out in English, Danish and Greenlandic.

The year has been characterized by high melting and low reflectivity of sunlight on the Greenland Ice Sheet, while the sea ice was strengthened in 2014. At the same time, a new record was set for June temperatures in Greenland.

The most important results of climate monitoring in the Arctic in 2014 are:

  • The Greenland Ice Sheet contributed approximately 1.2 mm to sea-level rise;
  • Below average reflection of sunlight is associated with increased melting from the Greenland Ice Sheet in 2014;
  • The surface mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet was lower than normal, but not record low;
  • Arctic sea ice strengthened in 2014;
  • A new temperature record was established in west Greenland in June 2014;
  • There were no exceptional changes in the movements of glacier fronts in Greenland.

Read more about these results in the report.

The map illustrates the albedo anomaly measured in the period 19 to 23 August, 2014 when the temperature was high and there was strong radiation from the sun. It can thus be seen where the ice has reflected greater or lesser amounts of sunlight than normal. Especially in the southern parts were large areas characterized by very low reflectivity. This gave extra uptake of energy from the sun and higher melt rates.