A new NASA-led study reveals that Greenland’s melting glaciers are fueling life in the Arctic Ocean. Each summer, massive freshwater plumes from glaciers like Jakobshavn drag deep-sea nutrients upward, boosting phytoplankton growth by up to 40%. These microscopic organisms form the base of the marine food web and play a key role in carbon absorption. Using NASA’s ECCO-Darwin digital ocean model, researchers simulated the interaction of meltwater, currents, and marine biology. As melting accelerates, this biological boost could shift how oceans trap carbon, with global climate implications.
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