Evidence from ice shelves for channelized meltwater flow beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet

Le Brocq, A.M.; Ross, N.; Griggs, J.A.; Bingham, R.G.; Corr, F.J.; Ferraccioli, F. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9347-4736; Jenkins, A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9117-0616; Jordan, T.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2780-1986; Payne, A.J.; Rippin, D.M.; Siegert, M.J.. 2013 Evidence from ice shelves for channelized meltwater flow beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Nature Geoscience, 6. 945-948. https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1977

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Abstract/Summary

Meltwater generated beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet exerts a strong influence on the speed of ice flow, in particular for major ice streams1, 2. The subglacial meltwater also influences ocean circulation beneath ice shelves, initiating meltwater plumes that entrain warmer ocean water and cause high rates of melting3. However, despite its importance, the nature of the hydrological system beneath the grounded ice sheet remains poorly characterized. Here we present evidence, from satellite and airborne remote sensing, for large channels beneath the floating Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf in West Antarctica, which we propose provide a means for investigating the hydrological system beneath the grounded ice sheet. We observe features on the surface of the ice shelf from satellite imagery and, using radar measurements, show that they correspond with channels beneath the ice shelf. We also show that the sub-ice-shelf channels are aligned with locations where the outflow of subglacial meltwater has been predicted. This agreement indicates that the sub-ice-shelf channels are formed by meltwater plumes, initiated by subglacial water exiting the upstream grounded ice sheet in a focused (channelized) manner. The existence of a channelized hydrological system has implications for the behaviour and dynamics of ice sheets and ice shelves near the grounding lines of ice streams in Antarctica.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1977
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Funding Initiative Projects BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Environmental Change and Evolution BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Polar Oceans
ISSN:	1752-0894
Date made live:	16 Oct 2013 09:14 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502271

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1977

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Antarctic Funding Initiative Projects
BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Environmental Change and Evolution
BAS Programmes > Polar Science for Planet Earth (2009 - ) > Polar Oceans

ISSN:

1752-0894

Date made live:

16 Oct 2013 09:14 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502271