A reconciled estimate of ice-sheet mass balance

Shepherd, A; Ivins, ER; Geruo, A; Barletta, VR; Bentley, MJ; Bettadpur, S; Briggs, KH; Bromwich, DH; Forsberg, R; Galin, N; Horwath, M; Jacobs, S; Joughin, I; King, MA; Lenaerts, JTM; Li, J; Ligtenberg, SRM; Luckman, A; Luthcke, SB; McMillan, M; Meister, R; Milne, G; Mouginot, J; Muir, A; Nicolas, JP; Paden, J; Payne, AJ; Pritchard, H; Rignot, E; Rott, H; Sorensen, LS; Scambos, TA; Scheuchl, B; Schrama, EJO; Smith, B; Sundal, AV; Van Angelen, JH; Van De Berg, WJ; Van Den Broeke, MR; Vaughan, DG; Velicogna, I; Wahr, J; Whitehouse, PL; Wingham, DJ; Yi, D; Young, D; Zwally, HJ

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A reconciled estimate of ice-sheet mass balance

Citation

Shepherd, A and Ivins, ER and Geruo, A and Barletta, VR and Bentley, MJ and Bettadpur, S and Briggs, KH and Bromwich, DH and Forsberg, R and Galin, N and Horwath, M and Jacobs, S and Joughin, I and King, MA and Lenaerts, JTM and Li, J and Ligtenberg, SRM and Luckman, A and Luthcke, SB and McMillan, M and Meister, R and Milne, G and Mouginot, J and Muir, A and Nicolas, JP and Paden, J and Payne, AJ and Pritchard, H and Rignot, E and Rott, H and Sorensen, LS and Scambos, TA and Scheuchl, B and Schrama, EJO and Smith, B and Sundal, AV and Van Angelen, JH and Van De Berg, WJ and Van Den Broeke, MR and Vaughan, DG and Velicogna, I and Wahr, J and Whitehouse, PL and Wingham, DJ and Yi, D and Young, D and Zwally, HJ, A reconciled estimate of ice-sheet mass balance, Science, 338, (6111) pp. 1183-1189. ISSN 0036-8075 (2012) [Refereed Article]

Copyright Statement

DOI: doi:10.1126/science.1228102

Abstract

We combined an ensemble of satellite altimetry, interferometry, and gravimetry data sets using common geographical regions, time intervals, and models of surface mass balance and glacial isostatic adjustment to estimate the mass balance of Earth’s polar ice sheets. We find that there is good agreement between different satellite methods—especially in Greenland and West Antarctica—and that combining satellite data sets leads to greater certainty. Between 1992 and 2011, the ice sheets of Greenland, East Antarctica, West Antarctica, and the Antarctic Peninsula changed in mass by –142 ± 49, +14 ± 43, –65 ± 26, and –20 ± 14 gigatonnes year⁻¹, respectively. Since 1992, the polar ice sheets have contributed, on average, 0.59 ± 0.20 millimeter year⁻¹ to the rate of global sea-level rise.

Item Details

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	snow; data set; estimation method; glacioisostasy; gravimetry; ice sheet; interferometry; mass balance; polar region; reconstruction; satellite altimetry; satellite data; sea level change; Antarctica; article; glacial mass balance; gravimetry
Research Division:	Earth Sciences
Research Group:	Atmospheric Sciences
Research Field:	Atmospheric Sciences not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Environment
Objective Group:	Atmosphere and Weather
Objective Field:	Atmospheric Processes and Dynamics
Author:	King, MA (Professor Matt King)
ID Code:	83528
Year Published:	2012
Web of Science^® Times Cited:	515
Deposited By:	Geography and Environmental Studies
Deposited On:	2013-03-15
Last Modified:	2015-06-26
Downloads:	1 View Download Statistics

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