• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: ice streams; glaciology; Antarctica; ice sheets; Antarc*; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.691.2605; http://rsta.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/roypta/364/1844/1795.full.pdf

Using inverse methods constrained by recent satellite observations, we have produced a comprehensive estimate of the basal shear stress beneath the Filchner-Ronne ice streams. The inversions indicate that a weak bed (approx. 4–20 kPa) underlies much of these ice streams. Compared to the Ross ice streams, the distribution of weak subglacial till is more heterogeneous, with ‘sticky spots ’ providing much of the resistance to flow. A weak bed beneath Recovery ice stream extends several hundred kilometres inland with flow. Along this ice stream, discrepancies between thickness measurements and flux estimates suggest the existence of a deep (K1400 m) trough not resolved by existing maps of subglacial topography. We hypothesize that the presence of this and other deep troughs is a major influence on this sector of the ice sheet that is not fully incorporated in current models of ice-sheet evolution.