Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica
We have used ice-flow velocity measurements from synthetic aperture radar to reassess the mass balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica. We find strong evidence for ice-sheet growth (+26.8 gigatons per year), in contrast to earlier estimates indicating a mass deficit (−20.9 gigatons per year...
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American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
2002
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1066875 |
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craaas:10.1126/science.1066875 2024-06-09T07:40:56+00:00 Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica Joughin, Ian Tulaczyk, Slawek 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1066875 en eng American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Science volume 295, issue 5554, page 476-480 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 journal-article 2002 craaas https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875 2024-05-16T12:55:24Z We have used ice-flow velocity measurements from synthetic aperture radar to reassess the mass balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica. We find strong evidence for ice-sheet growth (+26.8 gigatons per year), in contrast to earlier estimates indicating a mass deficit (−20.9 gigatons per year). Average thickening is equal to ∼25% of the accumulation rate, with most of this growth occurring on Ice Stream C. Whillans Ice Stream, which was thought to have a significantly negative mass balance, is close to balance, reflecting its continuing slowdown. The overall positive mass balance may signal an end to the Holocene retreat of these ice streams. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Stream C West Antarctica Whillans Ice Stream AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) West Antarctica Whillans ENVELOPE(-64.250,-64.250,-84.450,-84.450) Whillans Ice Stream ENVELOPE(-145.000,-145.000,-83.667,-83.667) Science 295 5554 476 480 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
AAAS Resource Center (American Association for the Advancement of Science) |
op_collection_id |
craaas |
language |
English |
description |
We have used ice-flow velocity measurements from synthetic aperture radar to reassess the mass balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica. We find strong evidence for ice-sheet growth (+26.8 gigatons per year), in contrast to earlier estimates indicating a mass deficit (−20.9 gigatons per year). Average thickening is equal to ∼25% of the accumulation rate, with most of this growth occurring on Ice Stream C. Whillans Ice Stream, which was thought to have a significantly negative mass balance, is close to balance, reflecting its continuing slowdown. The overall positive mass balance may signal an end to the Holocene retreat of these ice streams. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Joughin, Ian Tulaczyk, Slawek |
spellingShingle |
Joughin, Ian Tulaczyk, Slawek Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
author_facet |
Joughin, Ian Tulaczyk, Slawek |
author_sort |
Joughin, Ian |
title |
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
title_short |
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
title_full |
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Positive Mass Balance of the Ross Ice Streams, West Antarctica |
title_sort |
positive mass balance of the ross ice streams, west antarctica |
publisher |
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875 https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.1066875 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-64.250,-64.250,-84.450,-84.450) ENVELOPE(-145.000,-145.000,-83.667,-83.667) |
geographic |
West Antarctica Whillans Whillans Ice Stream |
geographic_facet |
West Antarctica Whillans Whillans Ice Stream |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Stream C West Antarctica Whillans Ice Stream |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Stream C West Antarctica Whillans Ice Stream |
op_source |
Science volume 295, issue 5554, page 476-480 ISSN 0036-8075 1095-9203 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875 |
container_title |
Science |
container_volume |
295 |
container_issue |
5554 |
container_start_page |
476 |
op_container_end_page |
480 |
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1801369340433399808 |