Alaska’s Ice Drain 2004-07 Alaska has only about 5% of the total
ice Greenland has — but from 2004 to 2007, Alaska shed an
average of 80 billion metric tons per ear, under half the amount
that Greenland did. Put another way, relative to its own stock,
Alaska is losing ice about eight times faster than Greenland.
This trend especially concerns scientists because meltwater and
ice emptying into the oceans raise global sea level. Currently,
sea level is increasing at about 1.25 inches per decade, and
researchers estimate that, globally, glaciers and ice caps —
among which Alaska is making the biggest contribution — are
contributing perhaps over 20% of this rate. Why is Alaska losing
ice? It appears linked in several ways to climate warming, which
is strongest in the Arctic. First, surface melt of ice has been
increasing. Second, much of the meltwater drains to the base of
glaciers and then lubricates the glaciers’ flow toward the sea.
And finally, where the glaciers plunge into the ocean, warmer
water appears to