ORF News, Jan 12, 2011 (
In Greenland, the sun year after the polar night of this two days early to be addressed. According to the KNR Radio Greenland showed the central star in Ilulissat, on Tuesday at exactly 12:56:57 Clock. Normally, the sun rises in the West Greenland settlement, however, until 13 First time in January again.
An expert from the University of Vienna suggests that the observation may be due to the recent strong accelerated melting of the Greenland ice sheet. One thing is certain - the constellation of the stars has certainly changed.
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| Ilulissat is located in West Greenland and living from fishing and tourism. ( |
Inhabitants of the third-largest city with 4,500 inhabitants of Greenland, made because of the early sun appeared worried. "Here in the place the sun comes up until 13 January. Since one or the other probably does not, "cited a 74-year-old KNR locals in a report on its website.
No change in the Earth's rotation
Scientists rule out any case that the observation could have geophysical or astronomical reasons. "In the constellation of the stars has not changed," said Wolfgang Lenhardt, head of the geophysics department at the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) in Vienna. "There would have been an outcry around the world." The data of Earth's axis and Earth's rotation would be monitored continuously and meticulously.
Horizon decreases
Thomas Posch from the Institute for Astronomy, University of Vienna completed astronomical reasons for the premature end of the polar night also made. He suggests that the observation is due to a change in the local horizon. An accelerated by the melting of the Greenland ice sheet of lower horizon appears as "by far the most obvious" explanation. According to Lenhardt it could possibly also to an atmospheric phenomenon - act - for example by ice crystals caused a mirage.
Glaciers are melting rapidly
The alarming message about the decline of the Greenland ice sheet is also evidenced by the current climate studies. A report by the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) shows that Greenland's temperatures were an average of three degrees Celsius above normal. This led in recent years to increased glacier melt summer.
Weather Records in December
And the year's winter has not done much that the snow and ice is growing again. In December, the temperatures were in the populated coastal regions around the zero point, which is well above the long-term average. Instead of snow in the south of the island was even rain.
KNR announced in December, several weather records from the Arctic region. It was raining in the town of Kuujjuaq on 1 December for the first time since records began half an inch. In Salluit in Hudson Strait, it was at Christmas plus three degrees. Normally there are at Christmas time between minus 19 and minus 27 degrees Celsius.
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