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

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Jansen, D., Luckman, A. J., Cook, A., Bevan, S., Kulessa, B., Hubbard, B., Holland, P. R.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Ice Shelf
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-1223-2015; https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/9/1223/2015/

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.