Accelerating ice loss from peripheral glaciers in North Greenland

In recent decades, Greenland’s peripheral glaciers have experienced large-scale mass loss, resulting in a substantial contribution to sea-level rise. Only 4% of Greenland’s ice cover are small peripheral glaciers that are distinct from the ice sheet proper. Despite comprising this relatively small area, these small peripheral glaciers are responsible for 11% of the ice loss associated with Greenland’s recent sea-level rise contribution. Using the satellite laser platforms ICESat and ICESat-2, we estimate that ice loss from these Greenland glaciers increased from 27±6 Gt/yr (2003–2009) to 42±6 Gt/yr (2018–2021).
Here, we provide the laser altimetry assessment of changing ice loss rates from Greenland peripheral glaciers that bridges both the ICESat and ICESat-2 periods of Feb 2003 – Dec 2021. We provide peripheral glaciers elevation changes including correction for firn compaction, elastic uplift rates from present-day mass changes, and long-term past ice changes (Glacial Isostatic Adjus...