What is the name of the fastest-flowing glacier in Greenland?

The fastest-flowing glacier in Greenland is Jakobshavn Isbræ, also known by its Greenlandic name, Sermeq Kujalleq. It is a major outlet glacier on Greenland’s west coast that drains ice from the Greenland Ice Sheet into Ilulissat Icefjord and Disko Bay.

Jakobshavn became famous for its exceptional speed and enormous iceberg production. Its flow has varied substantially over time, reaching roughly 40 to 50 metres per day during periods of rapid acceleration. In 2003, its average annual speed was about 12.6 kilometres per year, among the fastest rates recorded for a glacier of its size.

The glacier is also linked to climate research because changes in ocean temperature, sea-ice mélange, meltwater, and terminus position can alter its speed. A pulse of relatively cold ocean water slowed Jakobshavn during the mid-2010s, demonstrating that “fastest-flowing” is a comparative label that can change with measurement period. It remains the canonical answer for Greenland’s fastest-flowing glacier.