For years, glaciologists have been intrigued by the peculiar plume-like structures hidden beneath the Greenland Ice Sheet. Recent research conducted by scientists from the University of Bergen, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and the University of Oxford indicates that these enigmatic features are the result of thermal convection—an intriguing process typically associated with Earth’s mantle.
Location of a large plume-like structure (triangle) within the Greenland Ice Sheet. Credit: Leysinger Vieli et al., doi: 10.1038/s41467-018-07083-3 / Law et al., doi: 10.5194/tc-20-1071-2026.
“Typically, we perceive ice as a solid material, so the revelation that parts of the Greenland Ice Sheet experience heat convection—similar to cooking pasta— is both extraordinary and fascinating,” said study co-author Professor Andreas Born from the University of Bergen.
“The realization that thermal convection can occur within ice sheets defies our expectations,” remarked lead author Dr. Robert Loh, also from the University of Bergen.
“However, the ice is at least a million times softer than Earth’s mantle, making the physics align. It’s truly a remarkable phenomenon in nature.”
“These findings could play a crucial role in reducing uncertainties in models predicting ice sheet mass balance and sea level rise,” added Professor Born.
Deep ice is found to be approximately ten times softer than previously assumed, but this does not imply a faster melting rate.
“Enhancing our understanding of ice physics is vital for greater certainty regarding future conditions; nonetheless, softer ice alone does not guarantee accelerated melting or increased sea levels. Further studies are necessary to explore this,” Dr. Loh emphasized.
Although these findings do not predict imminent disasters in Greenland or elsewhere, they underscore the complex and dynamic nature of this region.
“Greenland and its ecosystem are indeed unique,” Dr. Loh commented.
“The ice sheet is over 1,000 years old and is the only one on Earth that coexists with a culture and established communities along its edges.”
“Understanding the processes beneath the ice will better equip us to handle the changes occurring along coastlines globally.”
Read more about the research in the upcoming publication in Cryosphere this month.
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R. Law et al. 2026. Investigating the conditions under which convection is likely to occur within the Greenland Ice Sheet. Cryosphere 20: 1071-1086; doi: 10.5194/tc-20-1071-2026
Source: www.sci.news
