Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream
ABSTRACT Using observations of basal topography, ice thickness and modern accumulation rates, we use theory and a dynamic flowline model to examine the sensitivity of Antarctica's Foundation Ice Stream to changes in sea level, accumulation and buttressing at the grounding line. Our sensitivity...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.9 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S026030551700009X |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/aog.2017.9 2024-06-09T07:38:29+00:00 Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream Huybers, Kathleen Roe, Gerard Conway, Howard 2017 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.9 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S026030551700009X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Annals of Glaciology volume 58, issue 75pt2, page 193-198 ISSN 0260-3055 1727-5644 journal-article 2017 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.9 2024-05-15T13:08:19Z ABSTRACT Using observations of basal topography, ice thickness and modern accumulation rates, we use theory and a dynamic flowline model to examine the sensitivity of Antarctica's Foundation Ice Stream to changes in sea level, accumulation and buttressing at the grounding line. Our sensitivity studies demonstrate that the steep, upward-sloping basal topography inland from the grounding line serves to stabilize retreat of the ice stream, while the upward-sloping submarine topography downstream from the grounding line creates the potential for significant advance under conditions of modest sea-level lowering and/or increased accumulation rate. Extrapolating from Foundation Ice Stream, many nearby Weddell Sea sector ice streams are in a similar configuration, suggesting that the historical and projected responses of this sector's ice streams may contrast with those in the Amundsen or Ross Sea sectors. This work reaffirms that the greatest concerns for rapid West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) retreat are locations of reverse slopes, muted basal topography and limited lateral support. Article in Journal/Newspaper Annals of Glaciology Antarc* Antarctic Foundation Ice Stream Ice Sheet Ross Sea Weddell Sea Cambridge University Press Antarctic Weddell Sea Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet Weddell Foundation Ice Stream ENVELOPE(-60.000,-60.000,-83.250,-83.250) Annals of Glaciology 58 75pt2 193 198 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
ABSTRACT Using observations of basal topography, ice thickness and modern accumulation rates, we use theory and a dynamic flowline model to examine the sensitivity of Antarctica's Foundation Ice Stream to changes in sea level, accumulation and buttressing at the grounding line. Our sensitivity studies demonstrate that the steep, upward-sloping basal topography inland from the grounding line serves to stabilize retreat of the ice stream, while the upward-sloping submarine topography downstream from the grounding line creates the potential for significant advance under conditions of modest sea-level lowering and/or increased accumulation rate. Extrapolating from Foundation Ice Stream, many nearby Weddell Sea sector ice streams are in a similar configuration, suggesting that the historical and projected responses of this sector's ice streams may contrast with those in the Amundsen or Ross Sea sectors. This work reaffirms that the greatest concerns for rapid West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) retreat are locations of reverse slopes, muted basal topography and limited lateral support. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Huybers, Kathleen Roe, Gerard Conway, Howard |
spellingShingle |
Huybers, Kathleen Roe, Gerard Conway, Howard Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
author_facet |
Huybers, Kathleen Roe, Gerard Conway, Howard |
author_sort |
Huybers, Kathleen |
title |
Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
title_short |
Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
title_full |
Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
title_fullStr |
Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
title_full_unstemmed |
Basal topographic controls on the stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet: lessons from Foundation Ice Stream |
title_sort |
basal topographic controls on the stability of the west antarctic ice sheet: lessons from foundation ice stream |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.9 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S026030551700009X |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-60.000,-60.000,-83.250,-83.250) |
geographic |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet Weddell Foundation Ice Stream |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Weddell Sea Ross Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet Weddell Foundation Ice Stream |
genre |
Annals of Glaciology Antarc* Antarctic Foundation Ice Stream Ice Sheet Ross Sea Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Annals of Glaciology Antarc* Antarctic Foundation Ice Stream Ice Sheet Ross Sea Weddell Sea |
op_source |
Annals of Glaciology volume 58, issue 75pt2, page 193-198 ISSN 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.9 |
container_title |
Annals of Glaciology |
container_volume |
58 |
container_issue |
75pt2 |
container_start_page |
193 |
op_container_end_page |
198 |
_version_ |
1801373176112873472 |