Greenland Ice Sheet thickness changes measured by laser altimetry

Abstract

Precise airborne laser‐altimetry surveys, at locations on the Greenland ice sheet, that had been accurately surveyed in 1980 and 1981, reveal a thickening in western Greenland of up to two meters between 1980 and 1993. We cannot yet state whether this represents a long‐term trend or the cumulative effects of interannual variability of snow‐accumulation rates. Nevertheless, the information presented here provides an indication of ice‐thickness changes across southern Greenland in unprecedented detail. Laser altimetery surveys have now been made over all the major ice sheet drainage basins, and will be repeated at regular intervals to provide detailed estimates of ice thickening/thinning rates over the entire ice sheet.