Unexpected Methane Emissions Challenge Climate Change Models

Global warming is unlocking methane reserves, the size of which remains uncertain. A young researcher at the University of Copenhagen found significant amounts of this potent greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, previously thought to be methane-free zones. This discovery introduces new uncertainties into our knowledge of methane emissions from the world’s glacier-covered areas.

The helicopter’s rotor blades spin as its skillful pilot performs aerial acrobatics between the steep Yukon mountain sides where PhD student Sarah Elise Sapper is leading her first field expedition deep into the heart of the mountains of northwestern Canada. From the helicopter windows, her eyes fall on the jagged edge of the Donjek glacier: meltwater swirls out from beneath the ice like a whirlpool.