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Ocean forced variability of Totten Glacier mass loss

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 10:27 authored by Jason RobertsJason Roberts, Benjamin Galton-FenziBenjamin Galton-Fenzi, Paolo, FS, Donnelly, C, David Gwyther, Padman, L, Young, D, Roland WarnerRoland Warner, Greenbaum, J, Fricker, HA, Payne, AJ, Cornford, S, Le Brocq, A, Tasman van OmmenTasman van Ommen, Blankenship, D, Siegert, MJ
A large volume of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet drains through the Totten Glacier (TG) and is thought to be a potential source of substantial global sea-level rise over the coming centuries. We show that the surface velocity and height of the floating part of the TG, which buttresses the grounded component, have varied substantially over two decades (1989–2011), with variations in surface height strongly anti-correlated with simulated basal melt rates (r = 0.70, p < 0.05). Coupled glacier–ice shelf simulations confirm that ice flow and thickness respond to both basal melting of the ice shelf and grounding on bed obstacles. We conclude the observed variability of the TG is primarily ocean-driven. Ocean warming in this region will lead to enhanced ice-sheet dynamism and loss of upstream grounded ice.

History

Publication title

Geological Society Special Publication

Volume

461

Pagination

175-186

ISSN

0305-8719

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Publisher

Geological Society Publishing House

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2017 The Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Repository Status

  • Open

Socio-economic Objectives

Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts)

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