State of the Planet

News from the Columbia Climate School

Tag: Greenland Thaw

  • As the Greenland Ice Sheet Retreats, Mercury is Being Released From the Bedrock Below

    As the Greenland Ice Sheet Retreats, Mercury is Being Released From the Bedrock Below

    Scientists have found that Greenland’s bedrock is rich with mercury in some areas — and as the ice sheet rapidly melts, that mercury is being released into local waters.

  • Reflections of a Changing North

    Reflections of a Changing North

    No one ever leaves the field the same way they entered it. Yes there is a new layer of mud on equipment, the expected wear and tear on your gear and your physical being. But also, an intangible shift in perspective.

  • A ‘Bumper-Car’ Ride in the Ice Mélange

    A ‘Bumper-Car’ Ride in the Ice Mélange

    Today’s plan is to extend the sampling to include a wider region of the water exchange between Alison (Nanatakavsaup), the surrounding ocean and the connection to Hayes glacier. At the Village Meeting we had queried the local fisherman about the iceberg exit pathways for both Alison and Hayes to confirm or correct information we have…

  • View from an Iceberg

    View from an Iceberg

    The science goal for today is to complete 8 CTD casts. We load into our vessel, a Poca 500GR. We have discussed a 6 to 8 hour window of boat time with Gabriel the captain and Magnus our navigator and stocked up on 40 liters of benzene.

  • A Meeting for the Kullorsuaq Community

    A Meeting for the Kullorsuaq Community

    It seems that many of the local fishermen have gone to hunt Narwal further north but there are several good prospects for boats that Søren will scout further as several of the fishermen are sleeping as the fishing is better right now at night. With 24 hours of daylight day or night fishing doesn’t really…

  • ‘Thumbs Up’ for Travel to Kullorsuaq

    ‘Thumbs Up’ for Travel to Kullorsuaq

    At the small airport a smiling woman approaches us asking our plans in one word “Kullorsuaq?” We smile and nod and she grins broadly motioning that she and her daughter are going there too – it is their home she manages to convey.

  • The Son of a Hunter

    The Son of a Hunter

    A visit to the Upernavik museum brought us to ‘Edvard’ a young Greenlandic and the local museum curator. Embracing the opportunity to practice his English he enthusiastically spent time sharing the historic art and past of the community and his experiences as a young adult growing up in a Greenland that is shifting from one…

  • The Changing Upernavik Waterfront

    The Changing Upernavik Waterfront

    Project Background: Changing conditions in Greenland’s northwest glaciers over the last decade have led to a range of questions about water temperature and circulation patterns in the fjords where ocean water meets the glacial fronts.

Science for the Planet: In these short video explainers, discover how scientists and scholars across the Columbia Climate School are working to understand the effects of climate change and help solve the crisis.
  • As the Greenland Ice Sheet Retreats, Mercury is Being Released From the Bedrock Below

    As the Greenland Ice Sheet Retreats, Mercury is Being Released From the Bedrock Below

    Scientists have found that Greenland’s bedrock is rich with mercury in some areas — and as the ice sheet rapidly melts, that mercury is being released into local waters.

  • Reflections of a Changing North

    Reflections of a Changing North

    No one ever leaves the field the same way they entered it. Yes there is a new layer of mud on equipment, the expected wear and tear on your gear and your physical being. But also, an intangible shift in perspective.

  • A ‘Bumper-Car’ Ride in the Ice Mélange

    A ‘Bumper-Car’ Ride in the Ice Mélange

    Today’s plan is to extend the sampling to include a wider region of the water exchange between Alison (Nanatakavsaup), the surrounding ocean and the connection to Hayes glacier. At the Village Meeting we had queried the local fisherman about the iceberg exit pathways for both Alison and Hayes to confirm or correct information we have…

  • View from an Iceberg

    View from an Iceberg

    The science goal for today is to complete 8 CTD casts. We load into our vessel, a Poca 500GR. We have discussed a 6 to 8 hour window of boat time with Gabriel the captain and Magnus our navigator and stocked up on 40 liters of benzene.

  • A Meeting for the Kullorsuaq Community

    A Meeting for the Kullorsuaq Community

    It seems that many of the local fishermen have gone to hunt Narwal further north but there are several good prospects for boats that Søren will scout further as several of the fishermen are sleeping as the fishing is better right now at night. With 24 hours of daylight day or night fishing doesn’t really…

  • ‘Thumbs Up’ for Travel to Kullorsuaq

    ‘Thumbs Up’ for Travel to Kullorsuaq

    At the small airport a smiling woman approaches us asking our plans in one word “Kullorsuaq?” We smile and nod and she grins broadly motioning that she and her daughter are going there too – it is their home she manages to convey.

  • The Son of a Hunter

    The Son of a Hunter

    A visit to the Upernavik museum brought us to ‘Edvard’ a young Greenlandic and the local museum curator. Embracing the opportunity to practice his English he enthusiastically spent time sharing the historic art and past of the community and his experiences as a young adult growing up in a Greenland that is shifting from one…

  • The Changing Upernavik Waterfront

    The Changing Upernavik Waterfront

    Project Background: Changing conditions in Greenland’s northwest glaciers over the last decade have led to a range of questions about water temperature and circulation patterns in the fjords where ocean water meets the glacial fronts.