Photo of the week
Scientists discover 'record melt'.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
St Andrews' researcher Richard Bates is currently in Greenland taking part in a major study of the Petermann Glacier.
Dr Bates and his team have discovered the breakup of a 250km sized berg which follows a record melt in Greenland so far this year. The event has been accompanied by the large scale breakup and retreat of the ice sheet's largest outlet glaciers.
Dr Bates joined forced with colleagues Alun Hubbard (Aberystwyth University) and Jason Box (Byrd Polar) to investigate the effects of an abnormally high climate and oceanic warming on ice sheet melt and retreat across Greenland's most northern coastline.
The Petermann Glacier is one of Greenland's largest outlet glaciers. The scientists will return later this month for further investigations.