Clouds are Accelerating Greenland's Melting

CALIPSO Satellite Path

CALIPSO Backscatter Data - Click for bigger image
The red line in the image is ~ ground level and corresponds with the purple line in the top image.

Greenland's ice sheet has been melting at alarming rates over the last few years and scientists are trying to piece together the story. One part that is becoming clear is the effects of clouds on the ice sheet. Recently published research in Nature Communications by an international team has shown that surface temperatures were three degrees Fahrenheit higher due to increased cloud cover over the Greenland Ice Sheet. Clouds act as blanket and hold heat longer in the atmosphere. You can see this effect at night when skies are overcast or clear. Overcast nights are warmer due to heat being trapped in by the clouds whereas clear nights are colder because heat escapes more easily. The effect in Greenland may be compounded because as more melting occurs, more moisture enters the atmosphere, and more clouds form.

This research was accomplished using ground measurements and NASA satellite data from CALIPSO and CloudSat. The images above are from CALIPSO which uses LiDAR, infrared, and visible imagers to measure cloud structure. CloudSat uses a radar system to profile cloud structure. For more information click on the source link below.

Source: Nature Communications
Images: CALIPSO