An ice stream is a long river of ice that drains ice from the interior of the ice sheet. It is a region of an ice sheet that moves significantly faster than the surrounding ice. Regions of Antarctica and Greenland have seen melting of ice caps and glaciers at a faster rate over the past few years owing to global warming. Similarly, ice streams have also been retreating for the past decade. In particular, an ice stream from north-eastern Greenland, earlier considered to be a stable region, is said to have retreated at an alarming rate of 20 kilometres in one decade. Earlier, this ice stream was blocked by buildup of ice debris choking its mouth. But due to exceptionally high temperatures over the past three years, this blockage has been released.
Greenland is said to contribute 0.5 millimetres of the total of 3.2 millimetres of sea level rise each year. If the melting of ice continues at this rate, it will lead to a considerable rise in sea levels. It is now too late to stop the melting of ice at Greenland or Antarctica. It is therefore necessary to continuously study the evelopments at these regions and make plans to adapt to the changes occuring.
