Modeling a Century of Change:Kangerlussuaq Glacier's Mass Loss From 1933 to 2021

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Lippert, E. Y.H., Morlighem, M., Cheng, G., Khan, S. A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2024
• Subjects: /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action; name=SDG 13 - Climate Action; glacier; Greenland; Kangerlussuaq
• Online Access: https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/5f0464ba-5ac4-4081-87f6-7b02e2da8c8d; https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL106286; https://backend.orbit.dtu.dk/ws/files/355227582/Geophysical_Research_Letters_-_2024_-_Lippert_-_Modeling_a_Century_of_Change_Kangerlussuaq_Glacier_s_Mass_Loss_From_1933.pdf

Kangerlussuaq Glacier (KG) is a major contributor to central-eastern Greenland mass loss, but existing estimates of its mass balance over the last century are inconsistent, and specific drivers of change remain poorly understood. We present a novel approach that combines numerical modeling and a 1933–2021 climate forcing to reconstruct its mass balance over the past century. The model's final state aligns remarkably well with present-day observations. The model reveals a total ice mass loss of 285 Gt over the past century, equivalent to 0.68 mm global sea level rise, 51% of which occurred since 2003 alone. Dynamic thinning from ice front retreat is responsible for 88% of mass change since 1933, with short-term ice front variations having minimal impact on centennial mass loss. Compared to earlier studies, our findings suggest that KG lost 59% (or 301 Gt) less mass over the century than previously thought.