WHAT IS THE CAP ICE?
The cap ice in Greenland is a gigantic ice cap that it can be up to 100,000 years old. In some places you can see this permanent historical monument from the last ice age, for example at Kangerlussuaq (in the south west of the island)
In the Greenland's ice sheet creates enormous glaciers, which under the influence of the force of gravity are forced out towards the coasts. Here the ice breaks off and forms the icebergs that are one of Greenland's major natural attractions. The ice's total area of 1.8 million km² corresponds to 14 times the size of England. The ice-free area amounts to 350,000 km² - equivalent to the area of Germany. |
Greenland has been covered in large parts by ice sheet during for the
last 2-3 million years but active glaciers and constant melting have meant that
the ice has been recycled many times. The aging ice sheet is only a few metres
thick at the ice fringe, but more than 3,200 metres thick at its highest point.
10% of global freshwater reserves are in the ice as well as atmospheric particles which scientists can use to gain an insight into the climate of both Greenland and the Earth going back some 250,000 years.
Greenland's ice sheet is melting today far more rapidly than at the turn of the millennium. If the entire ice sheet melted, the world's oceans would rise by approx. 6-7 metres.
10% of global freshwater reserves are in the ice as well as atmospheric particles which scientists can use to gain an insight into the climate of both Greenland and the Earth going back some 250,000 years.
Greenland's ice sheet is melting today far more rapidly than at the turn of the millennium. If the entire ice sheet melted, the world's oceans would rise by approx. 6-7 metres.