The complete disappearance of the Greenland ice sheet will make the island a raising of the sea a mile; now the rate of vertical movement is about three centimeters per year, according to the study, published in the journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences).

"Greenland is constantly rising, it is caused by the melting of glaciers that his weight pressing on the island. Now the speed of lifting up to three centimeters per year - and three meters per century - and if will melt all the glaciers at 100%, the island will be higher per kilometre" - said the head of research, fellow Danish technical University Shakat Abbas Khan (Shfaqat Abbas Khan, whose words are reported on an information portal ScienceNordic.

Scientists have found that by stations equipped with GPS devices installed on the island in the period 2007-2009 (Greenland GPS Network - GNET) for the regular measurement of height bedrock of the island above the sea level.

The authors concluded that Greenland slowly "floats" vertically, occasionally rising and falling. In particular, according to historical evidence and calculations of scientists, once in 50-100 years, some of the Bay can "change" their depths. Thus, the data of measurements at the disposal of scientists, may be of practical use in the planning of economic activities on the coast.

The average thickness of the Greenland ice sheet is about 2,100 meters, maximum - 3028 meters. Thus, if he ceases entirely, the surface of the island will be, on average, for a mile lower than now. However, the island landscape will change completely, returning to his appearance before the glaciation, which began more than two million years ago during the Neocene. Will be naked underwater part of the island, resulting in a completely changed the coastline.

Glacier currently covers about 80% of Greenland and contains about 20% of the world supply of ice. According to scientists, if the whole of the Greenland ice melts, it will lead to a rise in global sea level by 6.4 meters.

According to the study, published in 2009 in the Geophysical Research Letters, for the period between April 2002 and February 2009 Greenland glacier "lost" about 1.6 thousand cubic kilometers.