A recent study published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters: Solid Earth shows that due to global warming and other factors, Greenland's area is 'shrinking,' and it is slowly drifting towards the northwest.
According to Xinhua News Agency, researchers from the Technical University of Denmark and other institutions used data from 58 Global Navigation Satellite System monitoring stations near Greenland to study changes in Greenland’s overall position, bedrock elevation, and island area.
The study shows that Greenland is increasingly affected by distortion, pressure, and tension, which are caused by plate tectonics and bedrock movement. Bedrock movement is triggered by the melting of the large ice sheet above and the reduction of underground pressure.
Research also shows that over the past 20 years, the entire Greenland island has been drifting northwest at a rate of about 2 centimeters per year. These complex movements cause Greenland to experience expansion and contraction horizontally, resulting in changes in the island’s area, with some regions being stretched and others being 'squeezed together.'
Overall, Greenland is becoming smaller.
The Greenland ice sheet is one of the world’s richest sources of fresh water, storing enough water to raise global sea levels by 7.4 meters.
According to estimates by the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, for every 1 centimeter rise in sea level, about 6 million people worldwide will be at increased risk of coastal flooding. Researchers point out that in recent years, accelerated global warming has led to the massive melting of Greenland’s ice sheet. This change not only affects Greenland but also threatens humanity and the global natural environment.