Qaanaaq ice cap shows significant thinning in Greenland

A long-term study and a recent scientific expedition have highlighted significant ice loss in the Qaanaaq region of northwest Greenland. Research conducted by Hokkaido University between 2012 and 2025 reveals that the Qaanaaq ice cap has lost an average thickness of 8.7 meters over 13 years. This melting is driven by rising summer temperatures and changes in glacier movement, which prevent ice from higher altitudes from replenishing lost areas downstream.

To further investigate these remote areas, the SILA expedition, organized by IMAQA Expeditions, completed a 1,783-kilometer traverse across the Greenland ice cap from April to May 2026. Using kite-skis, four explorers traveled autonomously to collect critical field data, including snow density, temperature, and geodetic measurements.

The data collected by the expedition will support several international institutions, including GEUS in Denmark, the Technical University of Denmark, Northumbria University in the United Kingdom, and the Japan Meteorological Agency. While these glaciers represent only 4% of Greenland's ice surface, they contributed to approximately 14% of the island's total ice loss between 2018 and 2021.