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The impact of subglacial lakes on catchment-scale drainage dynamics in East Antarctica

conference contribution
posted on 2023-05-24, 17:35 authored by Dow, CF, Werder, MA, Felicity McCormack, Roberts, JL, Walker, RT, Nowicki, S
The influence of subglacial drainage dynamics on the flow of the Antarctic ice sheets is relatively unknown. Accumulation of water in large subglacial lakes complicates analysis by providing a temporally varying sink and source of water for the Antarctic basal catchments. We examine the impact of lake development and drainage on catchment-scale hydrology in various regions of the Antarctic. Our method employs the 2D glacial hydrology model GlaDS, which incorporates both efficient and inefficient drainage systems. We first apply the model to a synthetic system to examine general controls on lake growth and drainage and then to Recovery Ice Stream and the Aurora Subglacial Basin, both located in the East Antarctic. These two systems are major catchments, draining a significant portion of the East Antarctic, but have very different basal topographies and subglacial lake characteristics. Model outputs include lake volume change and catchment hydrology network development, such as temporally varying channels and regions of high water pressure. We discuss the implications of the modelled outputs for ice dynamics in the Recovery and Aurora Subglacial Basin catchments.

History

Publication title

American Geophysical Union, Fall General Assembly 2016

Department/School

Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies

Event title

American Geophysical Union 2016

Event Venue

California, United States of America

Date of Event (Start Date)

2016-12-11

Date of Event (End Date)

2016-12-15

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

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

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