Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations
The geology beneath Thwaites Glacier, the Antarctic glacial catchment most vulnerable to climate change, is unknown. Thwaites Glacier lies within the West Antarctic Rift System, but details of the subglacial geology relevant to glacial flow, including sediment availability, underlying lithology, and...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 |
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craaas:10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 2024-06-23T07:46:39+00:00 Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations Jordan, Tom A. Thompson, Sarah Kulessa, Bernd Ferraccioli, Fausto 2023 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 en eng American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science Advances volume 9, issue 22 ISSN 2375-2548 journal-article 2023 craaas https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 2024-05-24T12:53:43Z The geology beneath Thwaites Glacier, the Antarctic glacial catchment most vulnerable to climate change, is unknown. Thwaites Glacier lies within the West Antarctic Rift System, but details of the subglacial geology relevant to glacial flow, including sediment availability, underlying lithology, and heat flux, are lacking. We present the first sketch map of the subglacial geology of Thwaites Glacier, interpreted from maps of airborne gravity, magnetic and radar data, supported by 2D models and 3D inversion of subsurface properties, and the regional geological context. A zone of Cretaceous mafic magmatism extending ~200 km inland from the coast is interpreted, while sedimentary basins are restricted to a region 150 to 200 km inboard of the coast, underlying just 20% of the catchment. Several granitic subglacial highlands are identified, forming long-lived topographic highs. Our geological interpretation places constraints on the basal properties of Thwaites Glacier, laying the foundation for both improved predictions of ice sheet change and studies of West Antarctic tectonics. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) Antarctic The Antarctic Thwaites Glacier ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) West Antarctica Science Advances 9 22 |
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Open Polar |
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AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |
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craaas |
language |
English |
description |
The geology beneath Thwaites Glacier, the Antarctic glacial catchment most vulnerable to climate change, is unknown. Thwaites Glacier lies within the West Antarctic Rift System, but details of the subglacial geology relevant to glacial flow, including sediment availability, underlying lithology, and heat flux, are lacking. We present the first sketch map of the subglacial geology of Thwaites Glacier, interpreted from maps of airborne gravity, magnetic and radar data, supported by 2D models and 3D inversion of subsurface properties, and the regional geological context. A zone of Cretaceous mafic magmatism extending ~200 km inland from the coast is interpreted, while sedimentary basins are restricted to a region 150 to 200 km inboard of the coast, underlying just 20% of the catchment. Several granitic subglacial highlands are identified, forming long-lived topographic highs. Our geological interpretation places constraints on the basal properties of Thwaites Glacier, laying the foundation for both improved predictions of ice sheet change and studies of West Antarctic tectonics. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Jordan, Tom A. Thompson, Sarah Kulessa, Bernd Ferraccioli, Fausto |
spellingShingle |
Jordan, Tom A. Thompson, Sarah Kulessa, Bernd Ferraccioli, Fausto Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
author_facet |
Jordan, Tom A. Thompson, Sarah Kulessa, Bernd Ferraccioli, Fausto |
author_sort |
Jordan, Tom A. |
title |
Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
title_short |
Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
title_full |
Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
title_fullStr |
Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
title_sort |
geological sketch map and implications for ice flow of thwaites glacier, west antarctica, from integrated aerogeophysical observations |
publisher |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Thwaites Glacier West Antarctica |
op_source |
Science Advances volume 9, issue 22 ISSN 2375-2548 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.adf2639 |
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Science Advances |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
22 |
_version_ |
1802647287892017152 |