Global seismic networks and satellite data reveal Greenland glacier collapse patterns tied to climate-driven feedback loops

Inuit knowledge systems, such as *qaggiq* (gathering to observe environmental changes) and *sila* (the breath of the world), have documented glacier dynamics for generations, often predicting calving events through subtle shifts in animal behavior and wind patterns. Western seismic monitoring, by contrast, frames ice as a passive object to be measured rather than a sentient, relational entity. The erasure of Indigenous methodologies in favor of technocratic solutions reflects a broader pattern of epistemicide in climate science, where traditional ecological knowledge is sidelined in favor of extractive data regimes.

Greenland’s glaciers have been monitored since the 19th century, but colonial-era expeditions treated ice as a resource to be exploited, not a system to be understood. Cold War militarization of the Arctic (e.g., Project Iceworm, seismic networks for nuclear testing) laid the groundwork for today’s climate surveillance infrastructure, repurposing technologies of domination for climate science. The current focus on calving detection echoes 20th-century attempts to 'tame' nature through quantification, ignoring the long-term feedback loops between industrial activity and ice sheet instability.

Pacific Island nations like Tuvalu and Kiribati have long argued that climate adaptation must prioritize relocation and sovereignty over detection technologies, framing sea-level rise as a human rights crisis rather than a data problem. Indigenous Māori in Aotearoa/New Zealand view glaciers as *taonga* (sacred treasures) and have successfully argued for legal personhood for rivers and mountains, challenging the Western commodification of natural systems. Inuit Circumpolar Council has repeatedly called for the integration of Indigenous knowledge into Arctic monitoring, yet this is rarely reflected in mainstream scientific frameworks.

Seismic networks and satellite data are indeed effective for detecting large calving events, but their resolution limits mean smaller, more frequent calving episodes—critical for understanding ice sheet dynamics—are often missed. The pairing of seismic and satellite data improves detection accuracy, yet this approach is constrained by the spatial and temporal gaps in global monitoring networks, particularly in remote regions like Greenland. The focus on 'detectable' events risks underestimating the cumulative impact of calving on ice sheet mass balance and sea-level rise projections.

Glaciers have been mythologized across cultures as living beings—Inuit *Sedna* legends describe ice as a sentient force, while Norse myths personify glaciers as giants (*jötnar*) embodying both creation and destruction. Contemporary artists like Olafur Eliasson have used ice melt as a visceral medium to confront audiences with climate urgency, yet such symbolic interventions are often dismissed as 'unscientific' in policy circles. The spiritual dimensions of ice—its role in cultural identity, memory, and grief—are systematically excluded from climate discourse, reducing glaciers to mere physical variables.

If current trends continue, the Greenland Ice Sheet could contribute up to 1.8 meters of sea-level rise by 2100, with calving events acting as a critical tipping point in destabilization. Scenario modeling suggests that even with aggressive emissions reductions, committed ice loss from past emissions will drive centuries of ongoing calving and sea-level rise, challenging the feasibility of 'managed retreat' strategies. The integration of Indigenous knowledge into future models could improve predictive accuracy by accounting for non-linear, ecosystem-wide responses to warming.

Greenland’s Inuit communities, who are already experiencing forced relocations due to coastal erosion, are rarely consulted in the design of monitoring systems despite bearing the brunt of climate impacts. Women in Arctic communities, who often hold traditional ecological knowledge, are systematically excluded from decision-making roles in climate science and policy. The narrative’s focus on technological solutions centers the priorities of Global North researchers and funders, while marginalizing the voices of those most affected by glacier collapse, such as small island states and coastal Indigenous groups.