The Greenland ice sheet, which contains about 8% of the world's freshwater, is crucial to global sea level dynamics, as its melting contributes to rising sea levels and disrupts ocean circulation and ecosystems.

Recent data indicates that from fall 2023 to fall 2024, Greenland experienced a significant ice loss of approximately 55 gigatons, marking the 28th consecutive year of decline and contributing to over 5 trillion tons lost since 1992, according to NOAA.

Ice loss in Greenland primarily results from large chunks breaking off glaciers and surface melting, with sublimation also playing a significant role in water vapor loss, particularly during the summer months.

The drone method proved efficient in overcoming the challenges of data collection in Arctic air, conducting 104 flights during summer 2022, which traditionally required expensive flights and sample retrieval.

During these flights, the drone collected air samples at altitudes nearing 5,000 feet to analyze isotopic variations in water vapor, which serve as unique identifiers for tracing the water's source.

To enhance climate modeling and understand ice loss, researchers have employed a custom-built 10-foot drone to gather precise measurements of water vapor in the upper atmosphere above the Greenland ice sheet.

The research revealed that existing climate models had underestimated precipitation over Greenland, and the incorporation of drone-collected isotopic data significantly improved the accuracy of these models.

Led by doctoral student Kevin Rozmiarek from CU Boulder, this study, published on March 14, 2025, in JGR Atmospheres, aims to refine predictions regarding Greenland's environmental changes as a major freshwater source.

Rozmiarek plans to conduct additional flights in Greenland and other Arctic regions to further enhance the understanding of water dynamics within this critical climate system.

Historically, Greenland's ice sheet has significantly shrunk during warmer periods, and future melting poses the risk of raising global sea levels, currently impacting 1 billion people worldwide.