High basal melting forming a channel at the grounding line of Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
Marsh, Oliver J.; Fricker, Helen A.; Siegfried, Matthew R.; Christianson, Knut; Nicholls, Keith W, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2188-4509; Corr, Hugh F. J.; Catania, Ginny. 2016 High basal melting forming a channel at the grounding line of Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters, 43 (1). 250-255. 10.1002/2015GL066612
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Abstract/Summary
Antarctica's ice shelves are thinning at an increasing rate, affecting their buttressing ability. Channels in the ice shelf base unevenly distribute melting, and their evolution provides insight into changing subglacial and oceanic conditions. Here we used phase-sensitive radar measurements to estimate basal melt rates in a channel beneath the currently stable Ross Ice Shelf. Melt rates of 22.2 ± 0.2 m a−1 (>2500% the overall background rate) were observed 1.7 km seaward of Mercer/Whillans Ice Stream grounding line, close to where subglacial water discharge is expected. Laser altimetry shows a corresponding, steadily deepening surface channel. Two relict channels to the north suggest recent subglacial drainage reorganization beneath Whillans Ice Stream approximately coincident with the shutdown of Kamb Ice Stream. This rapid channel formation implies that shifts in subglacial hydrology may impact ice shelf stability.
Item Type: | Publication - Article |
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Digital Object Identifier (DOI): | 10.1002/2015GL066612 |
Programmes: | BAS Programmes > BAS Programmes 2015 > Ice Dynamics and Palaeoclimate BAS Programmes > BAS Programmes 2015 > Polar Oceans |
ISSN: | 00948276 |
Additional Keywords: | ice shelf channels, phase-sensitive radar, Whillans Ice Stream |
Date made live: | 23 Feb 2016 11:41 +0 (UTC) |
URI: | https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/513057 |
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