In this topic, Professor Konrad Steffen sets out some historical context for our understanding of the past development of the Greenland ice sheet, and what we know about the nature and rate of melting of the Greenland ice sheet from increasingly accurate measurements conducted using satellites and ground-based instruments over recent decades.

Professor Steffen will also explain the importance of the equilibrium-line altitude (ELA), and how observing the changes in the ELA highlights significant changes in the ice sheet height and dynamics.

Featured Educators:

• Professor Konrad Steffen

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• Cryosat-2

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