In the face of the challenges posed by global climate change, the monitoring of the Greenland ice sheet is particularly important. The Greenland Ice Sheet, the second largest ice sheet on Earth after the Antarctic Ice Sheet, has a profound impact on global sea level change. It is estimated that global sea levels could rise by about 7 metres if the Greenland ice sheet melts completely, a figure that could change the face of many coastal cities around the world. Therefore, accurate quantification of the rate of melting of the Greenland ice sheet is crucial for understanding and responding to climate change.
The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) plays a key role in the monitoring of the Greenland ice sheet. To fully investigate the melting of the ice sheet in the area, GEUS employs advanced monitoring technology, including the LUFFT WS401 all-in-one weather sensor. The sensor measures temperature, relative humidity, precipitation and air pressure, providing a strong technical support for research at various monitoring stations in Greenland.
In the process of monitoring the mass balance of the ice sheet, GEUS used two separate projects that divided the ice sheet into ablation and accumulation zones in order to more accurately assess the mass changes in the ice sheet. Among them, the ablation zone is mainly the ice melt area around the ice sheet, while the accumulation zone is the precipitation accumulation area in the central area. In order to monitor the near-surface climate of the accumulation area, GEUS installed two LUFFT WS401 sensors at different heights at 16 monitoring stations, which not only helped to measure the gradient of temperature and humidity, but also improved the accuracy of the overall mass balance measurement.
In addition to the LUFFT WS401 sensor, GEUS uses a variety of equipment, including an ice loss measurement system, wind speed and direction sensors, solar radiation instruments, and tilt sensors, to build a comprehensive view of the ice sheet dynamics. The Solar Radiation Instrument, developed by KEPP & Zonen, a brand of OTT Hydromet, measures the amount of radiation on the surface of ice sheets to determine evaporation and other critical phenomena.
However, monitoring the ice sheet is challenging. Extreme environmental conditions require sufficient robustness and reliability. For example, strong winds can tip over a tripod-mounted workstation and snow can cover solar panels, causing power outages**. In addition, transporting equipment to remote locations is a challenge, often with the help of boats and other means of transport. Therefore, robust and stable instrumentation is required to meet these challenges.
Despite all the difficulties, the data collected by GEUS is essential for global climate change research. These data not only provide key information for the Danish Meteorological Institute, but also contribute greatly to the report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Currently, the ProMice and GC Net projects are financially supported by Denmark**, providing stable funding for long-term monitoring**.
In the future, GEUS plans to deploy a new generation of workstations equipped with sensors such as the LUFFT WS401. Upgrades to these workstations may take time, but the team is focused on improving the accuracy and efficiency of measurements, exploring new measurement methods, and enhancing maintenance processes. GEUS's work in monitoring the Greenland ice sheet is not only essential to understanding and mitigating the effects of global warming