Glaciologist Alun Hubbard Dangles Into Greenland Sinkhole to Probe Methane Threat

Professor Alun Hubbard, a glaciologist originally from Wales and now based at Finland’s University of Oulu, is preparing to descend into a “gaping hole” in the Greenland ice sheet.

The opening, known as a moulin, fills each summer with ferocious meltwater that rushes into what appears to be a bottomless cavity.

Hubbard has spent three decades probing Greenland’s icy interior, often in what he describes as “surreal and absurd” locations, to help scientists track changes in the planet’s polar regions.

The Greenland ice sheet, one of only two continent‑scale ice masses on Earth, reflects heat and stores water, playing a key role in the global climate system. Each summer it loses billions of tonnes of ice, and recent years have seen that loss accelerate to “unprecedented” levels.

Hubbard believes a fossilised ancient forest lies within the vast sinkhole. He explains that as the base of the ice sheet thaws and meltwater reaches the forest, the organic matter is starting to break down and it’s starting to leak methane.

To test this hypothesis, Hubbard will employ his background in climbing and mountaineering, along with rope, carabiners and a trusted team. He will dangle above the torrent of meltwater, equipped with a sensor designed to detect methane emissions.

This measurement matters because methane is a potent accelerator in the climate system, capable of weakening even the most stable layers of ice.

Hubbard’s daring descent aims to provide the first direct evidence of whether the hidden forest is indeed contributing methane to the atmosphere.