Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE)
A major source of uncertainty in future sea-level projections is the ocean-driven basal melt of Antarctic ice shelves. Whereas ice sheet models require a kilometer-scale resolution to realistically resolve ice shelf stability and grounding line migration, global or regional 3D ocean models are compu...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Text |
Language: | English |
Published: |
2022
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-225 https://tc.copernicus.org/preprints/tc-2022-225/ |
id |
ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tcd107869 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftcopernicus:oai:publications.copernicus.org:tcd107869 2023-05-15T13:24:15+02:00 Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) Lambert, Erwin Jüling, André Wal, Roderik S. W. Holland, Paul R. 2022-12-06 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-225 https://tc.copernicus.org/preprints/tc-2022-225/ eng eng doi:10.5194/tc-2022-225 https://tc.copernicus.org/preprints/tc-2022-225/ eISSN: 1994-0424 Text 2022 ftcopernicus https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-225 2022-12-12T17:22:42Z A major source of uncertainty in future sea-level projections is the ocean-driven basal melt of Antarctic ice shelves. Whereas ice sheet models require a kilometer-scale resolution to realistically resolve ice shelf stability and grounding line migration, global or regional 3D ocean models are computationally too expensive to produce basal melt forcing fields at this resolution. To bridge this resolution gap, we introduce the 2D numerical model LADDIE (one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges) which allows for the computationally efficient modeling of basal melt rates. The model is flexible, and can be forced with output from coarse 3D ocean models or with vertical profiles of offshore temperature and salinity. In this study, we describe the model equations and numerics. To illustrate and validate the model performance, we apply the model to two test cases: the small Crosson-Dotson Ice Shelf in the warm Amundsen Sea region, and the large Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in the cold Weddell Sea. At ice-shelf wide scales, LADDIE reproduces observed patterns of basal melt and freezing that are also well reproduced by 3D ocean models. At scales of 0.5–5 km, which are unresolved by 3D ocean models and poorly constrained by observations, LADDIE produces plausible basal melt patterns. Most significantly, the simulated basal melt patterns are physically consistent with the applied ice shelf topography. These patterns are governed by the topographic steering and Coriolis deflection of meltwater flows, two processes that are poorly represented in basal melt parameterisations. The kilometer-scale melt patterns simulated by LADDIE include enhanced melt rates in basal channels, in some shear margins, and nearby grounding lines. As these regions are critical for ice shelf stability, we conclude that LADDIE can provide detailed basal melt patterns at the essential resolution that ice sheet models require. The physical consistency between the applied geometry and the simulated basal melt fields ... Text Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ronne Ice Shelf Weddell Sea Copernicus Publications: E-Journals Amundsen Sea Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-112.367,-112.367,-74.400,-74.400) Ronne Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-61.000,-61.000,-78.500,-78.500) Weddell Weddell Sea |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Copernicus Publications: E-Journals |
op_collection_id |
ftcopernicus |
language |
English |
description |
A major source of uncertainty in future sea-level projections is the ocean-driven basal melt of Antarctic ice shelves. Whereas ice sheet models require a kilometer-scale resolution to realistically resolve ice shelf stability and grounding line migration, global or regional 3D ocean models are computationally too expensive to produce basal melt forcing fields at this resolution. To bridge this resolution gap, we introduce the 2D numerical model LADDIE (one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges) which allows for the computationally efficient modeling of basal melt rates. The model is flexible, and can be forced with output from coarse 3D ocean models or with vertical profiles of offshore temperature and salinity. In this study, we describe the model equations and numerics. To illustrate and validate the model performance, we apply the model to two test cases: the small Crosson-Dotson Ice Shelf in the warm Amundsen Sea region, and the large Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf in the cold Weddell Sea. At ice-shelf wide scales, LADDIE reproduces observed patterns of basal melt and freezing that are also well reproduced by 3D ocean models. At scales of 0.5–5 km, which are unresolved by 3D ocean models and poorly constrained by observations, LADDIE produces plausible basal melt patterns. Most significantly, the simulated basal melt patterns are physically consistent with the applied ice shelf topography. These patterns are governed by the topographic steering and Coriolis deflection of meltwater flows, two processes that are poorly represented in basal melt parameterisations. The kilometer-scale melt patterns simulated by LADDIE include enhanced melt rates in basal channels, in some shear margins, and nearby grounding lines. As these regions are critical for ice shelf stability, we conclude that LADDIE can provide detailed basal melt patterns at the essential resolution that ice sheet models require. The physical consistency between the applied geometry and the simulated basal melt fields ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Lambert, Erwin Jüling, André Wal, Roderik S. W. Holland, Paul R. |
spellingShingle |
Lambert, Erwin Jüling, André Wal, Roderik S. W. Holland, Paul R. Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
author_facet |
Lambert, Erwin Jüling, André Wal, Roderik S. W. Holland, Paul R. |
author_sort |
Lambert, Erwin |
title |
Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
title_short |
Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
title_full |
Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
title_fullStr |
Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modeling Antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-Layer Antarctic model for Dynamical Downscaling of Ice–ocean Exchanges (LADDIE) |
title_sort |
modeling antarctic ice shelf basal melt patterns using the one-layer antarctic model for dynamical downscaling of ice–ocean exchanges (laddie) |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-225 https://tc.copernicus.org/preprints/tc-2022-225/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-112.367,-112.367,-74.400,-74.400) ENVELOPE(-61.000,-61.000,-78.500,-78.500) |
geographic |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf Ronne Ice Shelf Weddell Weddell Sea |
geographic_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf Ronne Ice Shelf Weddell Weddell Sea |
genre |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ronne Ice Shelf Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Amundsen Sea Antarc* Antarctic Dotson Ice Shelf Filchner Ronne Ice Shelf Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ronne Ice Shelf Weddell Sea |
op_source |
eISSN: 1994-0424 |
op_relation |
doi:10.5194/tc-2022-225 https://tc.copernicus.org/preprints/tc-2022-225/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-225 |
_version_ |
1766378271235112960 |