Why is Greenland covered with glaciers? Greenland is covered in ice due to a lack of carbon dioxide - scientists. Who owns the island of Greenland

The reason is that modern Antarctica is a continent covered with a layer of many kilometers - a change in the circulation of world waters near its shores.

Antarctica is known to have had temperate forests in the past that were teeming with life of all kinds. About 33 million years ago, the continent quickly cooled and became an icy desert.

A study conducted by scientists at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, USA, says that the cause of this environmental disaster is the formation of the Antarctic circumpolar current around the continent.

Before this study, it was argued that this current formed after a cold snap, i.e. approximately 23-25 million years ago. It now turns out that it was the initial emergence of the Antarctic circumpolar current that marked the beginning of climate change. A connection has now been established between the near-surface circumpolar current and the onset of a cooling period in Antarctica. The appearance of the circumpolar current, which is also called the Western Winds Current, formed the modern 4-layer structure of ocean waters.

Ocean temperature and planetary air temperature are interconnected; the higher the water temperature, the higher the average air temperature. Global ocean currents determine the difference in temperature between equatorial and polar waters.

In the period before the appearance of the circumpolar current, the difference in water temperature at the equator and off the coast of Antarctica was half as much as at present. But now this girdling current prevents the warm water of the South Atlantic Current from penetrating into the Antarctic continent, “pushing” it back into the Atlantic Ocean.

Global climate change in the Antarctic region occurred when the Drake Passage emerged between Antarctica and South America, and the Tasman Strait between Antarctica and Australia sharply expanded. In ancient times they made up one continent. The formation of a belt around Antarctica gave rise to a circumpolar current that cooled the continent.

In a new study, scientists have identified a more objective source of information about the temperature of those times. This source in the American study was oxygen isotopes with atomic weights 16 and 18. In the remains of ancient organisms, the content of heavy oxygen (isotope 18) varies depending on the temperature of the water in which they lived.

Tracing the isotope 18 of oxygen and magnesium and calcium in fossils from Antarctica and in samples from the northern regions of the Atlantic and Pacific ocean floors showed that temperatures dropped 2-3 degrees after the current appeared.

Reconstructing past climate conditions will allow scientists to study modern climate changes.

The island of Greenland is an autonomous province of Denmark, although it is geographically located in the northeastern part of North America. The island is washed in the east by the Greenland Sea, in the west by the Baffin Sea, in the south by the Labrador Sea, and in the north by the Arctic Ocean. The capital of Greenland is (another option is Gothob). The name of the island translates as “green country,” which is strange, to say the least, for a place most of which is covered with glaciers. But this is now, and in 982 the island abounded in vegetation, it was then that it was discovered by Eric Raud, who gave it its name.

Greenland is a green country

The total area of Greenland is 2,130,800 sq.m., the population of the island is about 58,000 people, the currency is the Danish krone. Due to the terrain features of this area, the transport network operates only within populated areas and their surroundings. You can move between cities using snowmobiles and dog sleds. There are no railways, but maritime shipping and air transport are developed. Greenland on the map is the largest island-state in the world, most of which is covered with glaciers and where you can see the northern lights.

At the moment, even scientists cannot determine exactly why Greenland is covered with glaciers. After all, this island could once have been covered with greenery. But still, climatologists are inclined to believe that glaciation occurred due to a sharp drop in carbon dioxide content in the air. There are also versions about changes in ocean currents, tectonic changes such as the growth of the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas.

Greenland, view from above

Greenland is an amazing place on the planet, striking in the diversity of its natural world. Vegetation can only be found in the south of the island, where rowan, dwarf birch, alder, juniper and willow grow. The northern part is covered with creeping lichens. The fauna of the island is unique; arctic foxes, polar wolves and polar bears are found here, as well as rare endangered species - musk oxen and caribou. The world of birds is also diverse; Greenland is home to snowy owls, barnacle geese, eiders, etc. More than 30 species of marine life and about 120 species of fish live in coastal waters.

Climate, glaciers and local population

Greenland has a rather harsh climate: in summer the average temperature is +10 °C, but can often remain at zero. In winter, temperatures can range from -7 °C to (in some places) -45 °C. The coldest part of the island is in the eastern part; in winter, the average temperature here is -27 °C. The west coast is the warmest on the island; the climate in Greenland in summer in this region is mild, the air can warm up to +20 ° C. Fog is a common phenomenon on the island, especially in the summer. Also, due to the melting of glaciers in Greenland, such a frequent phenomenon as the separation of icebergs occurs.

More than 80% of the entire island is covered with ice, its shores are replete with fjords, and many icebergs drift in the waters. The glaciers of Greenland are a real icy world of extraordinary beauty. But the problem of melting glaciers worries researchers around the world. Some scientists consider this phenomenon to be cyclical, while others are confident that it is unsafe for the planet. However, many believe that global warming is the reason why Greenland's glaciers are melting. The largest pieces of icebergs break off from the Jakobshavn glacier, which is located on the west coast.

The population of Greenland is mainly composed of Inuit, the indigenous inhabitants of the island. They make up 90%, the remaining 10% are Europeans (mainly Danes). The southwestern coast is the most populated; residents rely on hunting and fishing.

National dishes include dried meat of sea animals, dried fish, stroganina and shrimp. The traditional dwelling of the peoples of Greenland is a stone-peat half-dugout with one room and flooring instead of beds. In modern people live in small wooden houses, painted with bright colors and covered with iron roofs.

Popular attractions

Many tourists imagine Greenland as a place completely covered with ice. But this amazing island is famous not only for its glaciers. There is a lot to see here, both architecturally and naturally. For example, the famous northern lights, which can be seen in any season. Or a National Park listed by UNESCO. You can also visit Santa Claus's house, see seal fishing, snowboarding, skiing, dog sledding and take part in a bear hunt. What other interesting places does the island offer?

Turquoise Lake.

This amazingly beautiful place was formed due to the melting of glaciers. Melt water flows down the slopes, turning into a transparent lake of amazing and pure turquoise color - a real miracle of nature. The lake of impressive size is surrounded by snowy hills, which makes the beautiful landscape even more beautiful. Turquoise Lake is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful natural bodies of water on the entire planet.

Disko Bay.

One of the largest bays in Greenland, its shores are dotted with rocks, and pieces of ice continuously float in the water. A boat tour is a great opportunity to admire the true natural beauty. True, some parts of the bay are covered with an ice crust, but most of them are suitable for walking. The best time to explore the bay is in the evening, when the blue-white hues of the water and ice sparkle in the golden sunset.

Ice Canyon.

This truly fabulous place is located in the very center of Greenland, its depth is 45 meters. As a result of the melting of the snow layer, the canyon appears as dark blue waters against a background of snow-white ice. Here you can see seagulls, arctic foxes, deer, walruses, wolves, seals, partridges and other representatives of the animal world. The Ice Canyon is a popular place not only among tourists, but also among mountaineering enthusiasts.

The island of Greenland is the largest island on the planet. Greenland - "Green Land", why is this island called that? After all, almost the entire island is covered with a layer of ice, in some places it reaches one kilometer. A huge icy desert, at the edges of which, in the coastal areas of the island, there is lush green vegetation. That is why it is called “Green Land”.

Who owns the island of Greenland

Unlike Antarctica, whose land is neutral, Greenland is an autonomous region of Denmark. Until 1536 the island belonged to Norway. In 1979, the Danish parliament granted it wide autonomy. Today the island with its capital Nuuk is an autonomous region within Denmark. Not a bad addition to Denmark, autonomy the size of half of Europe.

The population of the island is 58 thousand people. Of which about 90% live on the southwest coast. Here are the largest cities in Greenland: Nuuk - the capital, Qaqortoq, Sisimiut and Maniitsok. The city of Upernavik is the northernmost city in Greenland; the air temperature here in summer does not exceed 5 degrees.

The official languages of Greenland are Greenlandic and Danish. Greenlandic is a language belonging to the Eskimo-Aleut group of languages. Many people here also speak English.

The depths of the island of Greenland contain many minerals. This is oil, nickel, gold and so on, but the main mineral resource of the island is considered to be fresh water, which is stored in the ice of Greenland.

The nature of Greenland attracts the attention of thousands of tourists. This is an ideal place for lovers of active and extreme recreation. The harsh climate of the island requires physically prepared people; frostbites have no place here, because the temperature in the central and northeastern regions drops to 47 - 65 degrees below zero. The impressions after walking through the icy desert on dog sleds can be very vivid. They harness the huskies, of course.

The northern part is considered a very popular place on the island; here you can see icebergs of various shapes and sizes.

The northern part is also famous for the fact that there is Greenland National Park, but it is very difficult to get here due to the geographical location and because of the ban on staying here. The park is home to animals such as musk ox, polar wolves, and polar bears. Arctic plants are also very diverse. The special beauty of northern Greenland is the northern lights. This uniquely beautiful natural phenomenon will bring a lot of positive impressions.

Greenlandic cuisine is very unique. For many Europeans it will even seem unsuitable. The traditional food of the Greenlanders is considered to be fresh meat of marine mammals, that is, not even cooked over a fire, in a stove or oven, but taken from a literally live whale, walrus or seal. If you suddenly decide to go to Greenland, then you need to stock up on products that are familiar to us.

Greenland is the largest island on Earth. This is an amazing and unique place that requires special attention from connoisseurs of pristine nature.

If you have anything to add to what has been said, please leave your comments below.

28/08/2008

MOSCOW, August 28 - RIA Novosti. The main reason for the appearance of the glacier that now covers the entire territory of Greenland 3 million years ago was a drop in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to a paper published by British scientists on Thursday in the journal Nature.

According to experts, understanding the reasons for the formation of the Greenland glacier will help understand its possible response to future climate change.

The authors of the study, scientists from the universities of Bristol and Leeds, used computer modeling to test a number of hypotheses about the causes of the Greenland glacier and came to the conclusion that only an increase in carbon dioxide levels can explain the transformation of ice-free Greenland into the current ice-bound island.

According to one of the study's authors, Dr Dan Lunt from Bristol, about 3 million years ago the amount of rock debris in the sediments around Greenland increased. They could not appear until the mass appearance of icebergs, which “scraped” this rock from the surface of the island into the ocean.

"This suggests that significant amounts of ice only began to appear in Greenland 3 million years ago. Before then, Greenland was largely ice-free and possibly covered with grass and forests. In addition, the concentration of carbon dioxide was relatively high. Question , which we wanted to answer - why did Greenland get an ice sheet?" - says Lunt, whose words are quoted in a university statement.

There are several theories explaining the appearance of the Greenland glacier.

According to one of them, ice in Greenland appeared due to the appearance of the Isthmus of Panama, which connected South and North America 13-2.5 million years ago. The disappearance of the Panama Strait led to an increase in the difference in salinity between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and an increase in humidity in the North Atlantic. As a result, the amount of snow falling in the Greenland region increased sharply, and glacier growth began.

Another theory links the emergence of Greenland ice to tectonic changes - the growth of the Rocky Mountains and the Himalayas, which led to changes in atmospheric circulation.

A number of researchers associate the appearance of the glacier with changes in ocean circulation, others with changes in the earth's orbit, and still others with natural changes in the concentration of greenhouse gases.

Using cutting-edge computer models of climate and glacier dynamics, Lunt and his colleagues decided to test which of these theories best corresponded to reality.

Although the results showed that climate change associated with changes in ocean circulation and tectonic uplift affected the Greenland ice sheet, and the amount of ice also depended on fluctuations in Earth's orbit, neither of these factors was strong enough to make a significant contribution to long-term growth of the Greenland glacier.

The study found that the main cause of the Greenland glaciation was a drop in atmospheric carbon dioxide levels to levels close to pre-industrial levels. Current levels of carbon dioxide concentrations are approaching levels when Greenland was mostly ice-free.

Dr Alan Haywood from the University of Leeds adds that the reasons for the rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are still unclear.

"This is the million-dollar question that researchers will undoubtedly be looking to answer over the next few years," he says.

MOSCOW, August 28 - RIA Novosti. The main reason for the appearance of the glacier that now covers the entire territory of Greenland 3 million years ago was a drop in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, according to a paper published by British scientists on Thursday in the journal Nature.