Meanwhile, the area where snow melts got larger and climbed higher. The study also revealed snowfall increased in Greenland during the 18-year period. While it seems paradoxical, global warming produces more snowfall by heating the oceans, creating more evaporation and ultimately more precipitation, Long said. The radar instruments on both satellites were designed to measure ocean wind speeds and directions. At BYU, Long and his students developed computer software that allowed data collected by both satellites to be converted into radar images of icand snow-covered surfaces on Earth.
Scientists study Greenland ice because it is sensitive to climate change.
A consensus of scientists agrees emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil-fuel combustion has warmed Earth's climate slightly and will continue to do so, although there are some naysayers and ongoing debate over ultimate effects of global warming. Long said sea levels rose more than an inch over the past century, largely due to expansion of water as it warms. He said the new study suggests melting ice will continue to raise sea levels, increasing the flood threat to low-lying areas. All material found on Utah OnLine is copyrighted The Salt Lake Tribune and associated news services. No material may be reproduced or reused without explicit permission from The Salt Lake Tribune .