As a result of this melting, the planet's bright, reflective surfaces decrease in area. And as a result of that decrease, even more sunlight is absorbed by the surface, resulting in greater warming.
Mass ice loss from Greenland is the single largest contributor to sea level rise today, and Antarctica is projected to contribute significantly to sea level rise in the decades to come.
UCI and NASA JPL researchers used boats, aircraft and other methods to quantify for the first time the effects of warm, salty ocean water reaching the undersides of glaciers in Greenland’s steep-sided fjords.
