Improved constraints on models of glacial isostatic adjustment: A review of the contribution of ground-based geodetic observations

The provision of accurate models of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) is presently a priority need in climate studies, largely due to the potential of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data to be used to determine accurate and continent-wide assessments of ice mass change and hydrology. However, modelled GIA is uncertain due...

Identification and Modeling of Sea Level Change Contributors: On GRACE satellite gravity data and their applications to climate monitoring

Since early 2002, the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) twin satellite mission provide the scientific community with accurate monthly maps of the Earth's gravity field. On short time-scale, the observed variations are mainly related to a redistribution of water on the Earth's surface. This new data set has lead to a leap forward in...

Imaging frozen glacio-fluvial bedrock valley infill using Ground Penetrating Radar

A Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey was conducted in April of 2008, collecting 27 km of radar profiles in Sandflugtdalen, a permafrosted glacio-fluvial bedrock valley in West Greenland. Due to low electric permittivity of frozen soil, GPR has good depth penetration of permafrost, up to 80 m using low-frequency (50 MHz) antennae. Resolution...

GRACE observes small?scale mass loss in Greenland

Using satellite gravity data between February 2003 and January 2008, we examine changes in Greenland's mass distribution on a regional scale. During this period, Greenland lost mass at a mean rate of 179 ± 25 Gt/yr, equivalent to a global mean sea level change of 0.5 ± 0.1 mm/yr. Rates increase over time, suggesting an acceleration of the mass...

Towards a combined estimation of Greenland’s ice sheet mass balance using GRACE and ICESat data

The Greenland ice sheet is sensitive to climate change. Global heating is expected to result in ice mass losses that will contribute to global sea level rise. For this reason monitoring Greenland’s ice mass balance is of utmost importance. Data of both the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) laser altimetry mission and the Gravity...