Surface drifters track the fate of greenland ice sheet meltwater

Abstract

Understanding the fate and influence of glacial meltwater in heavily ice-covered fjord systems has proven difficult because previous measurement platforms were constrained to deeper water to keep instrumentation safe from drifting icebergs. Now, using novel, satellite-tracked devices that can with stand multiple collisions with ice blocks (see Figure 1) without incurring much damage, scientists have obtained new and detailed data about the role of Greenland Ice Sheet meltwater and its trajectories through Godthåbsfjord in western Greenland. ©2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.