High Spatial Melt Rate Variability Near the Totten Glacier Grounding Zone Explained by New Bathymetry Inversion

Vaňková, Irena ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4351-3781; Winberry, J. Paul; Cook, Sue; Nicholls, Keith W. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2188-4509; Greene, Chad A.; Galton-Fenzi, Benjamin K.. 2023 High Spatial Melt Rate Variability Near the Totten Glacier Grounding Zone Explained by New Bathymetry Inversion. Geophysical Research Letters, 50 (10), e2023GL102960. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102960

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Abstract/Summary

Totten Glacier is a fast-moving East Antarctic outlet with the potential for significant future sea-level contributions. We deployed four autonomous phase-sensitive radars on its ice shelf to monitor ice-ocean interactions near its grounding zone and made active source seismic observations to constrain gravity-derived bathymetry models. We observe an asymmetry in basal melting with mean melt rates along the grounding zone differing by up to 20 m/a. Our new bathymetry model reveals that this melt rate asymmetry coincides with an asymmetry in water column thickness and that the low-melting ice-shelf portion is shielded from the main cavity circulation. A 2-year record yields year-to-year melt rate variability of 7–9 m/a with no seasonal cycle. Our results highlight the key role of bathymetry near grounding lines for accurate modeling of ice-shelf melt, and the importance of sustained multi-year monitoring, especially at ice-shelf cavities where the dominant melt rate drivers vary primarily inter-annually.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102960
ISSN:	0094-8276
Additional Keywords:	Totten, bathymetry basal melt rate, ApRES, ice shelves
Date made live:	24 May 2023 16:23 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/533917

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