Greenland: Global Warming Indicator

Hi all,

      Since you now know what is global warming and how natural and anthropogenic factors accelerate global climate change, today I’m going to discuss about our important global-warming indicative area--Greenland.

         First, do you know which country does Greenland politically and culturally belong to?

                1) United States of America

                2) United Kingdom

                3) Denmark

Hugo Ahlenius, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/arctic-conservation-area-caff-topographic-map_e94a

2005 Philippe Rekacewicz, UNEP/GRID-Arendal

http://www.grida.no/graphicslib/detail/greenland-denmark-ice-cap-topography-and-bathymetry_8cb9#

Greenland’s Geography

Greenland, situating between latitudes 60º 00' and 84º 00' N, and longitudes 11º 00' and 74º 00' E between the Arctic and the North Atlantic Ocean, is a part of North America continent; however, it is an independent country under the Kingdom of Denmark (so choice 3) is correct!). From its location, Greenland is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast; the Greenland Sea to the east; the Arctic Ocean to the north; and Baffin Bay to the west. It is ranked as the second biggest ice sheet and the largest island in the globe. How big is it? – Can you guess? It covers the area around 2,166,086 square kilometers (including other offshore minor islands), which 1,755,617 kilometers is covered by ice sheet. “Roughly 85% of the island is permanently covered in ice up to 3,375 meters (11,070 feet) thick. The topography of Greenland’s ice sheet is shown in the image below, based on the data from NASA’s ICESat. 

Image courtesy John P. DiMarzio and the ICESat Science Team
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=5118

Because the island is covered by such a thick sheet of ice, it is easy to picture Greenland as a flat, featureless white plain. In reality, the ice’s elevation rises dramatically between sea level around the coastline and the east-central interior, where elevations reach 3,200 meters (10,499 feet). The bright line running north to south roughly through the center of the island shows where the ice sheet peaks in a long island-spanning ridge. Fainter (lower elevation) ridgelines are visible near the northwest coast. The deeper shadows on the eastern (right) side of the major ridgeline indicate that the elevation drops off to the sea more rapidly. On the western slopes, the descent is more gradual.” ICESat Science Team 2004. Topography of Greenland.

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=5118

Greenland's Weather and Climate

The climate is influenced by the ever-present ice. The ice is partly responsible for the formation of large high pressure systems that dominate the area during the spring and summer.

Arctic temperatures

Greenland has an arctic climate which average temperatures do not exceed 10° C (50° F) in the warmest summer months. In the southern part of the country and the innermost parts of the long fjords, the temperature can, however, rise to more than 20° C (68° F) in June, July or August.

Variable coastal and inland climate

The sea around Greenland affects the climate on land. The stretches of coastline close to the open sea, in particular, are cooled by the sea. Therefore during the summer months it is warmest and driest on land closest to the ice sheet. In all parts of the country the weather is locally changeable and can vary from fjord to fjord and from one valley to the next.

Low humidity

The air is generally very dry in Greenland in relation to many other countries because of its low humidity, so the low temperatures do not feel as cold as you might expect.

Reference: The Weather in Greenland

http://www.greenland.com/en/things-to-do/naturoplevelser/indlandsisen/map.aspx