For the first time, ocean data from Northeast Greenland reveals the long-term impact of the melting of the Greenland ice sheet.
The increased melting of Greenland ice causes coastal waters to become less saline.
The less saline water is expected to affect marine life as well as global ocean currents that keep Europe warm.
The ‘Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring Program’ shows that the fresh water from the ice sheet accumulates in the surface layer of the surrounding sea and flows into the Greenland fjords.
Meltdown of the Greenland ice sheet has more than doubled compared with the period 1983-2003.
Fjords are a long, narrow, deep inlet of the sea between high cliffs typically formed by submergence of a glaciated valley.