Alaska's Top-Heavy Juneau Icefield: Melting 4.6 Times Faster, Losing 68 Glaciers Since 2005

Juneau, Alaska United States of America
Alaska's Juneau icefield is losing snow at a rate 4.6 times faster than in the 1980s.
Between 2005 and 2019, 68 glaciers in the Juneau icefield disappeared compared to only four between 1948 and 2005.
One larger glacier, Antler glacier, has completely melted away.
Alaska's Top-Heavy Juneau Icefield: Melting 4.6 Times Faster, Losing 68 Glaciers Since 2005

Title: Alaska's Top-Heavy Glaciers Approaching an Irreversible Tipping Point

Introduction: Alaska, home to some of the largest icefields on the planet, is experiencing accelerated glacier melt. This melting contributes significantly to sea-level rise and could have far-reaching consequences for coastal areas worldwide. In this article, we will explore recent findings regarding the melting of Alaska's Juneau icefield and its potential implications.

Facts:

  1. Alaska's Juneau icefield, a massive area of interconnected glaciers near Juneau, is losing snow at an alarming rate – 4.6 times faster than in the 1980s.
  2. One larger glacier, Antler glacier, has completely melted away.
  3. Between 2005 and 2019, 64 glaciers in the Juneau icefield disappeared compared to only four between 1948 and 2005.

Background: Alaskan icefields are particularly vulnerable to accelerated melt due to their hypsometrically top-heavy or plateau structure and low-slope accumulation areas. The melting trend is driven by rising temperatures, which have been linked to human-induced climate change.

Impact: The loss of glacier ice in Alaska will contribute significantly to global sea level rise. Model projections indicate that land ice will drive 25cm (11, 40cm at 5th, 95th percentiles) sea-level rise by 2100 AD. Of this, approximately one quarter will come from Alaskan glaciers alone.

Bias: It is important to note that the mainstream media may present a biased perspective on this issue due to their tendency to focus on sensational headlines and dramatic imagery. It is crucial for readers to remain skeptical and seek out diverse sources of information in order to form a well-informed opinion.

Conclusion: The melting of Alaska's Juneau icefield is accelerating at an alarming rate, with potentially far-reaching consequences for global sea level rise. It is essential that we remain informed about this issue and take steps to mitigate the causes of climate change in order to preserve our planet's precious natural resources.



Confidence

90%

Doubts
  • Are there any natural causes for this accelerated melting?
  • Is it possible that the data on glacier loss is incomplete or inaccurate?

Sources

99%

  • Unique Points
    • Glacier melt in Alaska's Juneau icefield has accelerated and could reach an irreversible tipping point earlier than previously thought.
    • Alaska has some of the largest icefields on the planet, and their melting is a major contributor to sea-level rise.
    • Total ice loss across the Juneau icefield from 1770 to 2020 was equal to almost one-quarter of the original ice volume.
    • Melting could occur in similar icefields elsewhere across Alaska and Canada, as well as Greenland, Norway and other high-Arctic locations.
  • Accuracy
    • Juneau Icefield, a huge area of interconnected glaciers near Juneau, Alaska, is approaching an irreversible tipping point due to rising temperatures.
    • Rates of glacier area shrinkage were five times faster from 2015 to 2019 than they had been from 1948 to 1979.
    • Glaciers in Juneau Icefield have been shrinking since the end of the Little Ice Age around 1770.
    • Between 2015 and 2019, glaciers there shrank five times faster than from 1979 to 1990.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Juneau Icefield, a huge area of interconnected glaciers near Juneau, Alaska, is approaching an irreversible tipping point due to rising temperatures.
    • ,
  • Accuracy
    • Rates of glacier area shrinkage were five times faster from 2015 to 2019 than they had been from 1948 to 1979.
    • Total ice loss across the Juneau icefield from 1770 to 2020 was equal to almost one-quarter of the original ice volume.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (90%)
    The author presents a well-researched and detailed analysis of the melting of the Juneau Icefield in Alaska. There are no formal logical fallacies present in the article. However, there is an example of a dichotomous depiction and an appeal to authority. The dichotomous depiction is presented when the author states that
    • Once a threshold is passed, these feedbacks can accelerate melt and drive a self-perpetuating loss of snow and ice which would continue even if the world were to stop warming.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Alaskan and Western Canadian glaciers are the largest contributors to global sea level rise, responsible for 21% of observed sea level rise from 1993-2017.
    • Alaska will likely remain the largest regional contributor to sea level rise for centuries to come.
    • Model projections indicate that land ice will drive 25cm (11, 40cm at 5th, 95th percentiles) sea-level rise by 2100 AD.
    • Of this, 13cm will come from glaciers, with Alaska contributing approximately one quarter of this total.
    • Under the higher-emission scenario RCP 4.5, around 30% of glacier ice in Alaska is projected to have disappeared by the year 2100 relative to 2015 AD.
    • This loss would cause approximately 17±4mm of global sea level rise.
    • Alaskan icefields are particularly vulnerable to accelerated melt due to their hypsometrically top-heavy or plateau structure and low-slope accumulation areas.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

  • Unique Points
    • The Juneau icefield in Alaska, home to over 1000 glaciers, is losing snow at a rate 4.6 times faster than in the 1980s.
    • One larger glacier, Antler glacier, has completely melted away.
    • Between 2005 and 2019, 64 glaciers in the Juneau icefield disappeared compared to only four between 1948 and 2005.
  • Accuracy
    • Rates of glacier area shrinkage were five times faster from 2015 to 2019 than they had been from 1948 to 1979.
    • Alaska has some of the largest icefields on the planet, and their melting is a major contributor to sea-level rise.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

96%

  • Unique Points
    • The Juneau Ice Field, an expanse of 1050 interconnected glaciers in Alaska and British Columbia, is melting at a pace that has doubled since 2010.
  • Accuracy
    • Total ice loss across the Juneau icefield from 1770 to 2020 was equal to almost one-quarter of the original ice volume.
    • Alaskan and Western Canadian glaciers are the largest contributors to global sea level rise, responsible for 21% of observed sea level rise from 1993-2017.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication