Climate Research
Muser Press
Columbia Glacier, Alaska. Credit: contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data (2023), processed by ESA | CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO
Each 1°C rise in summer temperature is linked to up to three additional weeks of glacier melting across Alaska.
Satellite view of Columbia Glacier in Alaska
Researchers used Sentinel-1 radar data from 2016–2024 to monitor melt days and snowline shifts across thousands of glaciers.
Copernicus Sentinel data showing Columbia Glacier surface conditions
During the 2019 heatwave, snowlines rose sharply and glaciers lost up to 28% more protective snow cover than usual.
Columbia Glacier monitored using satellite radar imagery
Longer melt seasons and rising snowlines signal faster ice loss, improving projections of glacier change and sea-level rise.