Basal freeze-on generates complex ice-sheet stratigraphy

Leysinger Vieli, GJ-MC; Martin, Carlos ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2661-169X; Hindmarsh, Richard ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1633-2416; Lüthi, MP. 2018 Basal freeze-on generates complex ice-sheet stratigraphy. Nature Communications, 9 (4669). 13, pp. 10.1038/s41467-018-07083-3

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07083-3

Abstract/Summary

Large, plume-like internal ice-layer-structures have been observed in radar images from both Antarctica and Greenland, rising from the ice-sheet base to up to half of the ice thickness. Their origins are not yet understood. Here, we simulate their genesis by basal freeze-on using numerical ice-flow modelling and analyse the transient evolution of the emerging ice-plume and the surrounding ice-layer structure as a function of both freeze-on rate and ice flux. We find good agreement between radar observations, modelled ice-plume geometry and internal layer structure, and further show that plume height relates primarily to ice-flux and only secondarily to freeze-on. An in-depth analysis, performed for Northern Greenland of observed spatial plume distribution related to ice flow, basal topography and water availability supports our findings regarding ice flux and suggests freeze-on is controlled by ascending subglacial water flow. Our results imply that widespread basal freeze-on strongly affects ice stratigraphy and consequently ice-core interpretations.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1038/s41467-018-07083-3
ISSN:	20411723
Date made live:	07 Nov 2018 16:02 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/521446

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1038/s41467-018-07083-3

ISSN:

20411723

Date made live:

07 Nov 2018 16:02 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/521446