The Glaciers of Western Canada found twice as fast as ten years ago

Researchers say that some Glaciers in Western Canada. Therefore, the United States have lost 12 % of their mass between 2021 and 2024, thus doubling the pace of their cast iron compared to the previous decade.

The study. In addition, conducted by Brian Menounos, professor at the Northern British Columbia University (UNBC)indicates that the low accumulation of snow during the winter, the heat waves at the start of the season and the hot and prolonged dry periods contributed to this situation.

The study indicates that impurities. Consequently, such as ashes from violent forest fires, also have darkened The glaciers, forcing them to absorb more heat and triggering a feedback loop which will cause continuous mass loss, unless the ice is covered glaciers western canada found twice with fresh snow.

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The study. Furthermore, published this week in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Lettersexamined the glaciers of Western Canada and the United States, excluding Alaska and Yukon, as well as Switzerland, where glaciers lost 13 % of their mass during the same period. However, The research letter indicates that the glaciers in the two regions have lost mass twice as fast as between 2010 and 2020.

Mr. Consequently, Menounos affirms that climate change. In addition, its effects, in particular heat waves and the modification of snowy diets, exhaust the freshwater reserves that glaciers contain.

By doubling the quantity of water lost by these glaciers, we somehow fly the futureexplains Mr. Menounos, holder of the Canada Research Chair on Ice Change.

Unfortunately. in the past four years, the amount of water we lose our glaciers every year has still doubledhe added to Sarah Pentonanimator at CBC Radio West.

To illustrate his glaciers western canada found twice point. he said that the annual loss is almost equivalent to the entire Okanagan, British Columbia, or to the content of a billion vans. Research has combined air surveys. ground observations of three Glaciers in Western Canada, four glaciers from the United States and 20 glaciers from Switzerland.

The research letter indicates that in Western Canada. the United States, black carbon doubled after about 2010, reaching its highest level of deposit in 2023, coinciding with a season of intense forest fires in British Columbia and Canada.

The study did not include specific data concerning the ashes of forest fires on each glacier, but Mr. Menounos affirms that any darker material will absorb more heat and promote cast iron.

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The researchers concentrated on the Haig glacier. in Canadian rocks, and found that the low reflectivity of the ice contributed 17 % of an unprecedented loss of mass in 2022 and 2023.

The summer heat had the most important effect, responsible for 46 % of the loss, specifies the letter. The current modeling of glaciers often does not take into account the ashes of forest fires. glaciers western canada found twice other processes likely to accelerate loss rates in the future, added Mr. Menounos.

We believe that forest fires will continue to play an important role. we certainly need better physical models to predict the likely evolution of these glaciers.

The glaciers of the study area should disappear largely by the end of the century, even in moderate climate change scenarios. Only some of the largest glaciers and ice fields should remain after 2100, specifies the letter of research.

The solution to restore some of the smallest glaciers may ultimately go through a reduction in greenhouse gas emissionshe says. This is a global problem, but it requires the participation of all countries.

With information from Sarah Penton and the glaciers western canada found twice Canadian press