Brief Communication: Newly developing rift in Larsen C Ice Shelf presents significant risk to stability

An established rift in the Larsen C Ice Shelf, formerly constrained by a suture zone containing marine ice, grew rapidly during 2014 and is likely in the near future to generate the largest calving event since the 1980s and result in a new minimum area for the ice shelf. Here we investigate the rece...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Cryosphere
Main Authors: Jansen, Daniela, Luckman, Adrian J., Cook, Alison, Bevan, Suzanne, Kulessa, Bernd, Hubbard, Bryn, Holland, Paul
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: COPERNICUS GESELLSCHAFT MBH 2015
Subjects:
Ice Shelf
The Cryosphere
Online Access:https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/38235/
https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/38235/1/Jansen2015.pdf
http://www.the-cryosphere.net/9/1223/2015/
https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.45669
https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.45669.d001
Description
Summary:An established rift in the Larsen C Ice Shelf, formerly constrained by a suture zone containing marine ice, grew rapidly during 2014 and is likely in the near future to generate the largest calving event since the 1980s and result in a new minimum area for the ice shelf. Here we investigate the recent development of the rift, quantify the projected calving event and, using a numerical model, assess its likely impact on ice shelf stability. We find that the ice front is at risk of becoming unstable when the anticipated calving event occurs.

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