Factors promoting growth of cryoconite granule formation and glacial/ice sheet melting
Tuesday, November 1, 2016 - 09:31
in Earth & Climate
Cryoconite granules (see Figure 1) are dark, millimeter-sized aggregations of bacteria and algae, mineral particles and organic matter that form on the surface of glaciers. They are also known to be a significant factor responsible for the acceleration in glacial and ice sheet melting. Research on Greenland's glaciers has revealed that cryoconite granule formation increases in areas on the glacier surface containing higher amounts of fine (250 μm or smaller) mineral particle sediment. Research findings were recently published in the journal FEMS Microbiology Ecology.