'The ice melted beneath our feet': The huskies that revealed the rapid shrinking of Greenland's ice

In June 2019, a remarkable photograph taken by climate scientist Steffen Olsen captured the attention of the world. The image showed a group of husky dogs seemingly walking on water in northwest Greenland, and it quickly went viral. Olsen, who works at the Danish Meteorological Institute and leads a European project focused on the impacts of climate change in the Arctic, expressed his surprise at the public's reaction. 'I was taken aback by how many people viewed it as a beautiful image,' he remarked. 'To me, it represented a frightening reality. ' The dogs were actually wading through shallow meltwater on top of the sea ice in Inglefield Bredning, not walking on solid ground. Olsen described the photo as an illusion, noting that viewers often saw the dogs rather than the melting ice beneath them. He captured this striking image while traveling with a team of scientists who were monitoring sea and ice conditions near Qaanaaq, one of the northernmost towns in the world. They were retrieving scientific instruments they had deployed during the winter months. 'After several hours of travel, it became evident that the melting was extremely severe… the ice was essentially melting beneath our feet as we moved across it,' Olsen explained. The local hunters accompanying him were equally astonished, as they searched for dry spots to get the dogs and sleds out of the water, but found none. They had to turn back and return to the coast. Typically, the huskies are reluctant to get their paws wet, Olsen noted. 'Usually, when we encounter water, it’s due to cracks in the sea ice, and the dogs have to leap over it… they dislike it. However, on that day, the weather was quite warm, reaching 14C (57F), so I think they were pleased to have cold feet,' he added. A few days later, the scientists were able to retrieve their instruments once the water had drained away through small cracks in the ice sheet. 'There’s a brief window of time when we can travel again before the ice collapses and breaks apart,' Olsen stated. On average, Greenland loses approximately 234 billion tonnes of ice each year, which is an astonishing amount. Olsen was genuinely shocked by the rapid melting he witnessed on June 13, 2019. In his 15 years of research in Greenland, he had only encountered such extreme melting once before. He explained that it is unusual for melting to occur so quickly, as it typically requires a sudden influx of warm air while fresh snow is still present on the ice. The local community informed him that they might not witness such an event again for a century. Melting events like the one Olsen observed usually occur later in the summer, but this particular event happened much earlier, around six to eight weeks before the average date. This early melting can create a 'snowball effect,' leading to even more melting, as there is less snow and ice to reflect the sun's rays back into space, which helps keep the surface cool. Bianca Perren, a paleoclimatologist at the British Antarctic Survey, explained that this phenomenon can exacerbate the melting process. In 2019, Greenland experienced record ice loss, shedding a significant amount from its massive ice sheet, according to a study published in 2020. The year 2019 was notably warm, similar to 2012. Kelly Hogan, a marine geophysicist at the British Antarctic Survey, noted that these extreme weather events are occurring more frequently than previously anticipated. 'When you see large volumes of water on the ice, it is truly shocking,' she remarked. It is uncommon to observe 'giant pools of water' on the surface, as water typically seeps through cracks in the ice. This can cause the ice sheet to float out to the coast, warming the entire structure. The rapid melting of the ice is already impacting the way local communities live. 'They are having to change their hunting and fishing practices,' Olsen stated. If the ice is unsafe to traverse, it also complicates scientific research efforts. 'We will need to adapt and rely more on automatic instruments instead of community-based monitoring,' he added. Safety is a growing concern, Perren noted, stating, 'I have promised my son that I will not step foot on the ice sheet because it is so dangerous. ' The photograph has played a crucial role in raising awareness about Greenland's vulnerability to climate change. Olsen remarked, 'I have found that a photo can draw significant attention to the issue… it has proven to be very effective. ' However, he has also faced challenges from skeptics questioning how one image can represent climate change. He acknowledged that a single photo cannot encapsulate the entirety of climate change, as it is a gradual process. 'We need to explain the photo and provide the right context,' he emphasized. Photos can serve as valuable tools for initiating discussions about environmental issues and explaining scientific concepts. Perren stated, 'Science has a communication problem. ' When she first encountered the photo in 2019, she recalled thinking, 'Oh my gosh, this is such a shocking image. ' She believes it symbolizes what climate change looks like in Greenland. Hogan added that the photo effectively illustrates the severity of the problem. 'It appears as though the dogs are skating on something without a bottom… it feels as if they could sink at any moment, which may serve as a metaphor for the ice sheet and its uncertain future.