Researchers Head to Greenland to Examine Glacier Melt Threat

HARWICH, England, July 15 - Around 80 international scientists and crew will depart on the polar research vessel RSS David Attenborough for Greenland this week to study whether the island’s quickly melting glaciers could interfere with a major Atlantic Ocean current system and, as a result, Europe’s climate.

The five- to six-week trip leaves Britain after the country and Western Europe just saw the hottest June months on record, interrupting power supplies, closing schools and leading to excess deaths.

"The heat waves in the UK and in Europe over the last few months have really made clear that it’s hard for us to adjust to even fairly small shifts in our climate," said Kelly Hogan, a marine geophysicist at the British Antarctic Survey, which is heading the mission.

The expedition is part of a £20 million project called GIANT - Greenland Ice sheet to AtlaNtic Tipping points - which aims to understand how glaciers melt and break off into the ocean and the effect this has.

Scientists worry that the melting freshwater could disrupt a system of circulating ocean currents that helps control Europe’s climate, which could cause more extreme weather and rising sea levels.

Ship Captain Matt Neill, who made his first voyage to Antarctica as a cadet with BAS in 2011, said he has already seen firsthand the impact of the world’s changing climate.

"Many of the glaciers are retreating very, very fast, and much more than you would expect... So it’s even more important than ever during these very dynamic times that we are out there collecting data and improving the models," he said.