Ice Sheets and Sea Level

Authors

Johannes Oerlemans, Utrecht University
Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, University of Copenhagen
Valérie Masson-Delmotte, L’Orme des Merisiers
Jonathan T. Overpeck, University of Arizona
Bette L. Otto-Bliesner, National Center for Atmospheric ResearchFollow
Gifford H. Miller, University of ColoradoFollow
Richard B. Alley, Pennsylvania State University
Daniel R. Muhs, U.S. Geological SurveyFollow
Shawn J. Marshall, University of Calgary

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2006

Comments

Published in SCIENCE VOL 313, 25 AUGUST 2006.

Abstract

The estimate of the contribution of the Greenland Ice Sheet (GIS) to the higher sea level stand in the Eemian interglacial (between 2.2 and 3.4 m) is based on the assumption that there was no ice at the location of the Dye-3 ice core in southern Greenland. However, Eemian ice has been found at the base of this ice core. The presence of Eemian ice in south and coastal Greenland implies that the GIS was essentially intact in a much warmer climate and could not have contributed more than 1 to 2 m to sea-level rise.