Scientists have discovered that Greenland’s ice sheet has developed 930 million cubic meters of crevasses in just five years equivalent to a Great Pyramid of Giza-sized crack forming every few days. This rapid fracturing, particularly in fast-moving glaciers, could trigger a feedback loop that accelerates ice loss and raises global sea levels.
A new study by researchers from the University of Florida, Durham University, and other institutions analyzed satellite imagery from 2016 to 2021, marking the first large-scale, multi-year assessment of Greenland’s crevasse formations. Automated machine learning techniques were used to track these changes, as manual methods proved too dangerous and time-consuming.
Findings show uneven crevasse activity across the ice sheet, with some regions especially in western Greenland initially experiencing reduced fracturing before seeing a resurgence in recent years. Overall, the increasing ice breakage is expected to worsen, contributing to Greenland’s ongoing melt, which has already raised sea levels by 0.4 inches since 1992 and could add another foot by 2100.
Scientists warn that crevasses may accelerate ice flow, fueling further fracturing and hastening sea level rise. They emphasize that future climate models must account for this process to better predict the impacts of polar ice loss.