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

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

By Daily Mail Reporter
14th January 2011

The sun over Greenl, has risen two days early, baffling scientists , 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 0f winter darkness.

But f0rthe first time in history light began creeping over the horizon at around 1pm on Tuesday - 48 hours ahead 0f the usual date 0f 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 0f melting icecaps allowing the sun's light to penetrate through earlier.

Thomas Posch, 0f the Institute f0rAstronomy 0f the University 0f Vienna, said that a local change 0f the horizon was 'by far the most obvious explanation'.

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

This theory, based on the gradual decline 0f Greenland's ice sheet, is backed by recent climate studies.

A report by the World Meteorology Organisation shows that temperatures in Greenl, have risen around 3C above average over the last year.

It also reported that December was much warmer than usual with rainfall instead 0f snow recorded f0rthe first time in Kuujjuaq since records began.

It has even been suggested that the  sun's early appearance could have an astronomical explanation.

But Wolfgang Lenhardt, direct0r0f the department 0f geophysics at the Central Institute f0rMeteorology in Vienna, scotched this theory.

He said: 'The constellation 0f the stars has not changed. If that had happened, there would have been an outcry around the world.

'The data 0f the Earth's axis , Earth's rotation are monitored continuously , meticulously , we would know if that had happened.'

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