Reviewed by Lexie CornerFeb 4 2025
A study published in Nature Geoscience by researchers from the University of Florida, Durham University, and other institutions analyzed Greenland's ice sheet from 2016 to 2021. The findings indicate that 930 million cubic meters of crevasses formed over five years, with fractures developing at a rate comparable to the volume of the Great Pyramid of Giza every few days.
Crevasses at Store Glacier, a marine-terminating outlet glacier of the western Greenland Ice Sheet. Image Credit: Tom Chudley (Durham University)
The study suggests that increased crevassing, particularly in fast-flowing regions of the ice sheet, may accelerate ice loss through a feedback mechanism, contributing to sea level rise. Since 1992, melting from Greenland's ice sheet has raised global sea levels by 0.4 inches, with projections estimating an additional rise of approximately one foot by the end of the century. New methods were needed to analyze crevasse behavior throughout the Greenland ice sheet.
You cannot do it in person, because crevasses are dangerous. It is hard to study by hand using satellite data. Automated approaches are needed to determine this at an ice-sheet scale.
Emma MacKie, Study Co-Author and Professor, University of Florida
To analyze crevasse formation across the Greenland ice sheet, the research team developed an automated crevasse detection and measurement system. The system, designed using machine learning techniques, was based on three-dimensional satellite imagery from the Polar Geospatial Center. The study included contributions from scientists at Ohio State University and the University of Washington.
While the overall trend showed increased crevassing across Greenland, regional variations were observed. One sector on the island’s west side exhibited a decrease in crevasse volume during the study period. However, this reduction was offset by significant increases elsewhere, with some areas experiencing up to a 25 % rise in crevasse volume. Since the study’s conclusion, additional fracturing has been observed in the western region, suggesting a continued increase in crevassing across the ice sheet.
Crevasses can induce accelerated ice flow, leading to more crevassing. So, there are these potential positive feedback loops caused by crevassing. This mechanism should be considered in Greenland ice sheet models that we are using to project future sea level rise.
Emma MacKie, Study Co-Author and Professor, University of Florida
The research was supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Journal Reference:
Chudley, T. R., et al. (2025) Increased crevassing across accelerating Greenland Ice Sheet margins. Nature Geoscience. /doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01636-6.