NASA Global Climate Change News: April 2020

April 2020

Huge East Antarctic Glacier Especially Susceptible to Climate Impacts The shape of the ground beneath Denman Glacier, which is melting from the bottom up, makes it particularly vulnerable to the intrusion of seawater. › Full story Greenland, Antarctica Melting Six Times Faster Than in the 1990s The two regions have lost 6.4 trillion tons of ice in three decades; unabated, this rate of melting could cause flooding that affects hundreds of millions of people by 2100. › Full story Visualizing the Quantities of Climate Change Satellite data show that Antarctica and Greenland are losing hundreds of gigatonnes of ice each year. But how big is just one gigatonne? Visit the full story for answers and visualizations. › Full story More Top Stories Update: Carbon Dioxide Concentration February's global average concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) was about 413 parts per million (ppm), up roughly 24 ppm from a decade ago. Update: Ice Sheet Loss We have updated our "vital sign" dashboard with the latest ice sheet data, as seen from space. NASA, University of Nebraska Release New Global Groundwater Maps and U.S. Drought Forecasts Satellite data on the movement of water on Earth helps to improve the accuracy of moisture maps and forecasts. New 3D View of Methane Tracks Sources and Movement around the Globe​ NASA’s new 3-dimensional portrait of methane shows the world’s second largest contributor to global warming as it travels through the atmosphere, along with its ground sources. Solar Energy Tracker Powers Down After 17 Years After nearly two decades, a NASA mission that measured solar irradiance (the Sun's energy) and its impact on Earth's climate has concluded operations. GRACE, GRACE-FO Satellite Data Track Ice Loss at the Poles Greenland and Antarctica are melting—but how quickly and which areas are most affected? Nearly 20 years of satellite data provide key insights into these questions. NASA Satellite Offers Urban Carbon Dioxide Insights​ Using data from NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2, researchers found links between the population density of cities and how much carbon dioxide they produce per person. Video: 'On Thin Ice: Why Ice Loss Matters' Over 90% of Earth’s ice mass is locked up in Greenland and Antarctica. As our greenhouse gas emissions warm the planet, those areas, along with other glaciers around the world, lose more ice, contributing to sea level rise. Why should we care? Watch this video to learn more. Video: 'Rising Tides: Understanding Sea Level Rise' As human activity warms the planet, the ocean absorbs over 90% of the excess heat. This increases water volume and melts ice sheets and glaciers, adding to sea level rise. Learn what that looks like in everyday terms and why it matters. Images of Change: Antarctica's Amery Ice Shelf Calves Giant Iceberg Satellites spot a 315-billion-ton (286-billion-metric-ton) iceberg before and after it broke free from Antarctica's Amery Ice Shelf. Images of Change: Fires in Lebanon Wildfires scorched a portion of Lebanon in October 2019, leaving a burn scar that can be seen from space. Images of Change: Sea Wall Shields Japanese Town of Rikuzentakata Following a devastating tsumani, a Japanese town erected a 41-foot (12.5-meter) sea wall that now shields against future events. Explore About Us NASA's Global Climate Change website is produced by the Earth Science Communications Team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech. To learn more, visit our website at › climate.nasa.gov Stay Connected Sent from NASA's Global Climate Change Website 4800 Oak Grove Dr, Pasadena, CA 91109 send feedback     unsubscribe