Articles | Volume 15, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1627-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1627-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
01 Apr 2021
Research article |
| 01 Apr 2021
| 01 Apr 2021
Heterogeneous CO2 and CH4 content of glacial meltwater from the Greenland Ice Sheet and implications for subglacial carbon processes
Andrea J. Pain
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
now at: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science,
Horn Point Lab, Cambridge, MD 21613, USA
Jonathan B. Martin
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Ellen E. Martin
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
Åsa K. Rennermalm
Department of Geography, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
Piscataway NJ 08854, USA
Shaily Rahman
Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida,
Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
now at: Department of Marine
Science, University of Southern Mississippi, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529, USA
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Cited
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Glacial retreat converts exposed landscapes from net carbon sinks to sources A. Pain et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02404-z
- Probing dissolved CO 2 and CH 4 in glacial streams of the European Alps M. Dalvai Ragnoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2025.2580737
- Supraglacial Soils and Soil-Like Bodies: Diversity, Genesis, Functioning (Review) N. Mergelov et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229323602330
- Identification of carbon dioxide and methane emission characteristic across Heihe River, China W. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179175
- Dissolved inorganic carbon budget of two alpine catchments in the central Tibetan Plateau: Glaciation matters Z. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165191
- Radiocarbon and bulk isotope composition of subglacial methane and carbon dioxide emitted at the western margin of the Greenland ice sheet G. Adnew et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2025.12.026
- Isotopic composition and emission characteristics of CO2 and CH4 in glacial lakes of the Tibetan Plateau F. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aceb7b
- Methane emissions from subglacial meltwater of three alpine glaciers in Yukon, Canada S. Sapper et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2284456
- Proglacial methane emissions driven by meltwater and groundwater flushing in a high-Arctic glacial catchment G. Kleber et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-659-2025
- Increase in productivity enhances CH4 but limits N2O production in a shallow tropical lake experiencing seasonal volume reduction and salinization S. Sarkar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122724
- Aquatic plants govern CH4 and CO2 production and flux partitioning in lake emission pathways Y. Geng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113864
- Mid-Holocene retreat of the Greenland Ice Sheet indicated by subglacial methane release J. Hatton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01976-5
- Supraglacial Soils and Soil-Like Bodies: Diversity, Genesis, Functioning (Review) N. Mergelov et al. https://doi.org/10.31857/S0032180X23601494
- Hydrological and geochemical controls on CO2 and CH4 emissions from a temperate glacier-fed river on the Tibetan Plateau Z. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133997
- Deglaciation drove seawater infiltration and slowed submarine groundwater discharge S. ten Hietbrink et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-025-01750-z
- Microbiological research progress on greenhouse gas emissions in lakes of the Tibetan Plateau M. Han et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsee.2026.03.001
- Characteristics of methane and carbon dioxide in ice caves at a high-mountain glacier of China Z. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174074
- Carbon redistribution driven by autochthonous processes in the world’s largest water transfer project: Disrupting natural carbon boundaries J. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.126181
- Methylotrophic Communities Associated with a Greenland Ice Sheet Methane Release Hotspot M. Znamínko et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02302-x
- Potential of submerged macrophytes restoration for reducing CH4 and CO2 emissions in a typical urban lake Y. Yin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124919
- Clumped isotope measurements reveal aerobic oxidation of methane below the Greenland ice sheet G. Adnew et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2024.11.009
- The marine methane cycle in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago during summer A. D'Angelo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2024.101128
- The Biogeochemical Legacy of Arctic Subglacial Sediments Exposed by Glacier Retreat P. Vinšová et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007126
- Effects of growth and decline of cyanobacteria on CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> emission fluxes and their source pathways in sediment-water system of Lake Taihu, China W. Mingjie et al. https://doi.org/10.18307/2025.0214
- Atmospheric CO2 sink caused by enhanced chemical weathering in the Rongbuk glacier runoff at the initial ablation, Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) H. Qiu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133200
- Catchment characteristics and seasonality control the composition of microbial assemblages exported from three outlet glaciers of the Greenland Ice Sheet K. Vrbická et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1035197
- Intra-seasonal variability in supraglacial stream sediment on the Greenland Ice Sheet S. Leidman et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.969629
- Carbon Emissions From the Edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet Reveal Subglacial Processes of Methane and Carbon Dioxide Turnover J. Christiansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006308
- Glacier biogeochemical cycling and downstream impacts J. Hawkings et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00751-1
- Potential of an adapting segment anything model (SAM) for automatically extracting supraglacial lakes from satellite imagery over the Greenland ice sheet M. Chai et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2554312
30 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Glacial retreat converts exposed landscapes from net carbon sinks to sources A. Pain et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02404-z
- Probing dissolved CO 2 and CH 4 in glacial streams of the European Alps M. Dalvai Ragnoli et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2025.2580737
- Supraglacial Soils and Soil-Like Bodies: Diversity, Genesis, Functioning (Review) N. Mergelov et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1064229323602330
- Identification of carbon dioxide and methane emission characteristic across Heihe River, China W. Hu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.179175
- Dissolved inorganic carbon budget of two alpine catchments in the central Tibetan Plateau: Glaciation matters Z. Yu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165191
- Radiocarbon and bulk isotope composition of subglacial methane and carbon dioxide emitted at the western margin of the Greenland ice sheet G. Adnew et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2025.12.026
- Isotopic composition and emission characteristics of CO2 and CH4 in glacial lakes of the Tibetan Plateau F. Yan et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/aceb7b
- Methane emissions from subglacial meltwater of three alpine glaciers in Yukon, Canada S. Sapper et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/15230430.2023.2284456
- Proglacial methane emissions driven by meltwater and groundwater flushing in a high-Arctic glacial catchment G. Kleber et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-659-2025
- Increase in productivity enhances CH4 but limits N2O production in a shallow tropical lake experiencing seasonal volume reduction and salinization S. Sarkar et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122724
- Aquatic plants govern CH4 and CO2 production and flux partitioning in lake emission pathways Y. Geng et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2025.113864
- Mid-Holocene retreat of the Greenland Ice Sheet indicated by subglacial methane release J. Hatton et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-026-01976-5
- Supraglacial Soils and Soil-Like Bodies: Diversity, Genesis, Functioning (Review) N. Mergelov et al. https://doi.org/10.31857/S0032180X23601494
- Hydrological and geochemical controls on CO2 and CH4 emissions from a temperate glacier-fed river on the Tibetan Plateau Z. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133997
- Deglaciation drove seawater infiltration and slowed submarine groundwater discharge S. ten Hietbrink et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-025-01750-z
- Microbiological research progress on greenhouse gas emissions in lakes of the Tibetan Plateau M. Han et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsee.2026.03.001
- Characteristics of methane and carbon dioxide in ice caves at a high-mountain glacier of China Z. Du et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174074
- Carbon redistribution driven by autochthonous processes in the world’s largest water transfer project: Disrupting natural carbon boundaries J. Liu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2026.126181
- Methylotrophic Communities Associated with a Greenland Ice Sheet Methane Release Hotspot M. Znamínko et al. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00248-023-02302-x
- Potential of submerged macrophytes restoration for reducing CH4 and CO2 emissions in a typical urban lake Y. Yin et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2025.124919
- Clumped isotope measurements reveal aerobic oxidation of methane below the Greenland ice sheet G. Adnew et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2024.11.009
- The marine methane cycle in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago during summer A. D'Angelo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2024.101128
- The Biogeochemical Legacy of Arctic Subglacial Sediments Exposed by Glacier Retreat P. Vinšová et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GB007126
- Effects of growth and decline of cyanobacteria on CH<sub>4</sub> and CO<sub>2</sub> emission fluxes and their source pathways in sediment-water system of Lake Taihu, China W. Mingjie et al. https://doi.org/10.18307/2025.0214
- Atmospheric CO2 sink caused by enhanced chemical weathering in the Rongbuk glacier runoff at the initial ablation, Mt. Qomolangma (Everest) H. Qiu et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2025.133200
- Catchment characteristics and seasonality control the composition of microbial assemblages exported from three outlet glaciers of the Greenland Ice Sheet K. Vrbická et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.1035197
- Intra-seasonal variability in supraglacial stream sediment on the Greenland Ice Sheet S. Leidman et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.969629
- Carbon Emissions From the Edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet Reveal Subglacial Processes of Methane and Carbon Dioxide Turnover J. Christiansen et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006308
- Glacier biogeochemical cycling and downstream impacts J. Hawkings et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-025-00751-1
- Potential of an adapting segment anything model (SAM) for automatically extracting supraglacial lakes from satellite imagery over the Greenland ice sheet M. Chai et al. https://doi.org/10.1080/17538947.2025.2554312
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 09 Jun 2026
Short summary
The greenhouse gases (GHGs) methane and carbon dioxide can be produced or consumed by geochemical processes under the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS). Chemical signatures and concentrations of GHGs in GrIS discharge show that organic matter remineralization produces GHGs in some locations, but mineral weathering dominates and consumes CO2 in other locations. Local processes will therefore determine whether melting of the GrIS is a positive or negative feedback on climate change driven by GHG forcing.
The greenhouse gases (GHGs) methane and carbon dioxide can be produced or consumed by...
