The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf
The air content of glacial firn determines the effect and attribution of observed changes in ice surface elevation, but is currently measurable only using labor-intensive ground-based techniques. Here a novel method is presented for using radar sounding measurements to decompose the total thickness...
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American Geophysical Union
2011
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ftcolumbiauniv:oai:academiccommons.columbia.edu:10.7916/D8X63MWQ 2023-05-15T16:41:51+02:00 The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf Holland, Paul R. Corr, Hugh F. J. Pritchard, Hamish D. Vaughan, David G. Arthern, Robert J. Jenkins, Adrian Tedesco, Marco 2011 https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ English eng American Geophysical Union https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ Snow Climatic geomorphology Meltwater Ice sheets Geology Geomorphology Geophysics Articles 2011 ftcolumbiauniv https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ 2019-04-04T08:14:19Z The air content of glacial firn determines the effect and attribution of observed changes in ice surface elevation, but is currently measurable only using labor-intensive ground-based techniques. Here a novel method is presented for using radar sounding measurements to decompose the total thickness of floating ice shelves into thicknesses of solid ice and firn air (or firn water). The method is applied to a 1997/98 airborne survey of Larsen Ice Shelf, revealing large spatial gradients in air content that are consistent with existing measurements and local meteorology. The gradients appear to be governed by meltwater-induced firn densification. We find sufficient air in Larsen C Ice Shelf for increased densification to account for its previously observed surface lowering, and the rate of lowering superficially agrees with published trends in melting. This does not preclude a contribution to the lowering from oceanic basal melting, but a modern repeat of the survey could conclusively distinguish atmosphere-led from ocean-led change. The technique also holds promise for the calibration of firn-density models, derivation of ice thickness from surface elevation measurements, and calculation of the sea-level contribution of changes in grounded-ice discharge. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Larsen Ice Shelf Columbia University: Academic Commons Larsen Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-62.500,-62.500,-67.500,-67.500) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Columbia University: Academic Commons |
op_collection_id |
ftcolumbiauniv |
language |
English |
topic |
Snow Climatic geomorphology Meltwater Ice sheets Geology Geomorphology Geophysics |
spellingShingle |
Snow Climatic geomorphology Meltwater Ice sheets Geology Geomorphology Geophysics Holland, Paul R. Corr, Hugh F. J. Pritchard, Hamish D. Vaughan, David G. Arthern, Robert J. Jenkins, Adrian Tedesco, Marco The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
topic_facet |
Snow Climatic geomorphology Meltwater Ice sheets Geology Geomorphology Geophysics |
description |
The air content of glacial firn determines the effect and attribution of observed changes in ice surface elevation, but is currently measurable only using labor-intensive ground-based techniques. Here a novel method is presented for using radar sounding measurements to decompose the total thickness of floating ice shelves into thicknesses of solid ice and firn air (or firn water). The method is applied to a 1997/98 airborne survey of Larsen Ice Shelf, revealing large spatial gradients in air content that are consistent with existing measurements and local meteorology. The gradients appear to be governed by meltwater-induced firn densification. We find sufficient air in Larsen C Ice Shelf for increased densification to account for its previously observed surface lowering, and the rate of lowering superficially agrees with published trends in melting. This does not preclude a contribution to the lowering from oceanic basal melting, but a modern repeat of the survey could conclusively distinguish atmosphere-led from ocean-led change. The technique also holds promise for the calibration of firn-density models, derivation of ice thickness from surface elevation measurements, and calculation of the sea-level contribution of changes in grounded-ice discharge. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Holland, Paul R. Corr, Hugh F. J. Pritchard, Hamish D. Vaughan, David G. Arthern, Robert J. Jenkins, Adrian Tedesco, Marco |
author_facet |
Holland, Paul R. Corr, Hugh F. J. Pritchard, Hamish D. Vaughan, David G. Arthern, Robert J. Jenkins, Adrian Tedesco, Marco |
author_sort |
Holland, Paul R. |
title |
The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
title_short |
The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
title_full |
The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
title_fullStr |
The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
title_full_unstemmed |
The air content of Larsen Ice Shelf |
title_sort |
air content of larsen ice shelf |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2011 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-62.500,-62.500,-67.500,-67.500) |
geographic |
Larsen Ice Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Larsen Ice Shelf |
genre |
Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Larsen Ice Shelf |
genre_facet |
Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Larsen Ice Shelf |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7916/D8X63MWQ |
_version_ |
1766032319546654720 |