Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland
Glacier calving is a key dynamical process of the Greenland Ice Sheet and a major driver of its increasing mass loss. Calving waves, generated by the sudden detachment of ice from the glacier terminus, can reach tens of meters in height and provide very valuable insights into quantifying calving act...
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ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tc92623 2023-05-15T16:21:09+02:00 Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland Wehrlé, Adrien Lüthi, Martin P. Walter, Andrea Jouvet, Guillaume Vieli, Andreas 2021-12-13 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/5659/2021/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/5659/2021/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2021 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 2021-12-20T17:22:31Z Glacier calving is a key dynamical process of the Greenland Ice Sheet and a major driver of its increasing mass loss. Calving waves, generated by the sudden detachment of ice from the glacier terminus, can reach tens of meters in height and provide very valuable insights into quantifying calving activity. In this study, we present a new method for the detection of source location, timing, and magnitude of calving waves using a terrestrial radar interferometer. This method was applied to 11 500 1 min interval acquisitions from Eqip Sermia, West Greenland, in July 2018. Over 7 d, more than 2000 calving waves were detected, including waves generated by submarine calving, which are difficult to observe with other methods. Quantitative assessment with a wave power index (WPI) yields a higher wave activity ( +49 %) and higher temporally cumulated WPI ( +34 %) in deep water than under shallow conditions. Subglacial meltwater plumes, occurring 2.3 times more often in the deep sector, increase WPI and the number of waves by a factor of 1.8 and 1.3, respectively, in the deep and shallow sector. We therefore explain the higher calving activity in the deep sector by a combination of more frequent meltwater plumes and more efficient calving enhancement linked with better connections to warm deep ocean water. Text glacier Greenland Ice Sheet Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Eqip Sermia ENVELOPE(-50.067,-50.067,69.817,69.817) Greenland The Cryosphere 15 12 5659 5674 |
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Open Polar |
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Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
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ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
Glacier calving is a key dynamical process of the Greenland Ice Sheet and a major driver of its increasing mass loss. Calving waves, generated by the sudden detachment of ice from the glacier terminus, can reach tens of meters in height and provide very valuable insights into quantifying calving activity. In this study, we present a new method for the detection of source location, timing, and magnitude of calving waves using a terrestrial radar interferometer. This method was applied to 11 500 1 min interval acquisitions from Eqip Sermia, West Greenland, in July 2018. Over 7 d, more than 2000 calving waves were detected, including waves generated by submarine calving, which are difficult to observe with other methods. Quantitative assessment with a wave power index (WPI) yields a higher wave activity ( +49 %) and higher temporally cumulated WPI ( +34 %) in deep water than under shallow conditions. Subglacial meltwater plumes, occurring 2.3 times more often in the deep sector, increase WPI and the number of waves by a factor of 1.8 and 1.3, respectively, in the deep and shallow sector. We therefore explain the higher calving activity in the deep sector by a combination of more frequent meltwater plumes and more efficient calving enhancement linked with better connections to warm deep ocean water. |
format |
Text |
author |
Wehrlé, Adrien Lüthi, Martin P. Walter, Andrea Jouvet, Guillaume Vieli, Andreas |
spellingShingle |
Wehrlé, Adrien Lüthi, Martin P. Walter, Andrea Jouvet, Guillaume Vieli, Andreas Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
author_facet |
Wehrlé, Adrien Lüthi, Martin P. Walter, Andrea Jouvet, Guillaume Vieli, Andreas |
author_sort |
Wehrlé, Adrien |
title |
Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
title_short |
Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
title_full |
Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
title_fullStr |
Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of Eqip Sermia, Greenland |
title_sort |
automated detection and analysis of surface calving waves with a terrestrial radar interferometer at the front of eqip sermia, greenland |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/5659/2021/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-50.067,-50.067,69.817,69.817) |
geographic |
Eqip Sermia Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Eqip Sermia Greenland |
genre |
glacier Greenland Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
glacier Greenland Ice Sheet |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/5659/2021/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5659-2021 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
15 |
container_issue |
12 |
container_start_page |
5659 |
op_container_end_page |
5674 |
_version_ |
1766009168116842496 |