Greenland Sun Increases Fears Of Accelerating Climate Change

[Harry Hope]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1346936/The-sun-rises-days-early-Greenland-sparking-fears-climate-change-accelerating.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

14th January 2011

The sun rises two days early in Greenland, sparking fears that climate
change is accelerating

By Daily Mail Reporter

The sun over Greenland has risen two days early, baffling scientists
and sparking fears that Arctic icecaps are melting faster than
previously thought.

Experts say the sun should have risen over the Arctic nation's most
westerly town, Ilulissat, yesterday, ending a month-and-a-half of
winter darkness.

But for the first time in history light began creeping over the
horizon at around 1pm on Tuesday - 48 hours ahead of the usual date of
13 January.

The mysterious sunrise has confused scientists, although it is
believed the most likely explanation is that it is down to the lower
height of melting icecaps allowing the sun's light to penetrate
through earlier.

Thomas Posch, of the Institute for Astronomy of the University of
Vienna, said that a local change of the horizon was 'by far the most
obvious explanation'.

He said as the ice sinks, so too does the horizon, creating the
illusion that the sun has risen early.

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Harry