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Letter

Nature Geoscience 2, 110–114 (1 February 2009) | doi:10.1038/ngeo394

Large-scale changes in Greenland outlet glacier dynamics triggered at the terminus

Faezeh M. Nick , Andreas Vieli , Ian M. Howat & Ian Joughin

The recent marked retreat, thinning and acceleration of most of Greenland|[rsquo]|s outlet glaciers south of 70|[compfn]||[thinsp]|N has increased concerns over Greenland|[rsquo]|s contribution to future sea level rise. These dynamic changes seem to be parallel to the warming trend in Greenland, but the mechanisms that link climate and ice dynamics are poorly understood, and current numerical models of ice sheets do not simulate these changes realistically.