Jakobshavn Glacier: A Focus of Climate Research

A powerhouse of ice is rushing down Greenland’s west coast, producing some of the world’s largest icebergs at Jakobshavn Glacier. This glacier, one of the fastest-moving and largest on the Greenland Ice Sheet, accounts for about 10% of Greenland’s icebergs and is rapidly retreating.

“We don’t have a good handle on how quickly this glacier could move in the future,” says Martin Truffer, a physics professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, highlighting the importance of ongoing research. Alongside student researcher Amy Jenson, Truffer recently returned from their second expedition to Jakobshavn, focusing on the glacier’s interaction with meltwater and ocean temperatures.

The glacier has retreated roughly 25 miles since 1850, particularly accelerating since the late 1990s. While it underwent a brief advance from 2016 to 2018, driven by cooler ocean waters, it has since resumed its retreat.

Jakobshavn, also known as Sermeq Kujalleq, contributes significantly to global sea-level rise, draining about 7% of the Greenland Ice Sheet. During their latest visit, Truffer and Jenson deployed 12 GPS units and time-lapse cameras to monitor the glacier’s flow in unprecedented detail.

“The data will enhance computer models for predicting ice loss,” Truffer stated. This four-year research project, funded by the National Science Foundation, aims not only to improve scientific understanding but also includes plans for an exhibit on glacial changes in Alaska and Greenland, set to debut at the University of Alaska Museum of the North in 2026.

Jenson remarked, “The scale of changes in the glacier is impressive in person,” and Truffer noted the thrilling dynamics of fast-flowing ice, which continue to captivate glaciologists worldwide.