Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Owing to global warming and particularly high regional ocean warming, both Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers in the Amundsen region of the Antarctic Ice Sheet could lose their buttressing ice shelves over time. We analyse the possible consequences using the parallel ice sheet model (PISM), applying...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:142963221e9d46cdb4b14e9af706463f 2023-05-15T13:48:47+02:00 Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet T. Schlemm J. Feldmann R. Winkelmann A. Levermann 2022-05-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 https://doaj.org/article/142963221e9d46cdb4b14e9af706463f EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/1979/2022/tc-16-1979-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/142963221e9d46cdb4b14e9af706463f The Cryosphere, Vol 16, Pp 1979-1996 (2022) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 2022-12-30T23:51:25Z Owing to global warming and particularly high regional ocean warming, both Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers in the Amundsen region of the Antarctic Ice Sheet could lose their buttressing ice shelves over time. We analyse the possible consequences using the parallel ice sheet model (PISM), applying a simple cliff-calving parameterization and an ice mélange-buttressing model. We find that the instantaneous loss of ice-shelf buttressing, due to enforced ice-shelf melting, initiates grounding-line retreat and triggers marine ice sheet instability (MISI). As a consequence, the grounding line progresses into the interior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and leads to a sea level contribution of 0.6 m within 100 a. By subjecting the exposed ice cliffs to cliff calving using our simplified parameterization, we also analyse marine ice cliff instability (MICI). In our simulations it can double or even triple the sea level contribution depending on the only loosely constrained parameter that determines the maximum cliff-calving rate. The speed of MICI depends on this upper bound of the calving rate, which is given by the ice mélange buttressing the glacier. However, stabilization of MICI may occur for geometric reasons. Because the embayment geometry changes as MICI advances into the interior of the ice sheet, the upper bound on calving rates is reduced and the progress of MICI is slowed down. Although we cannot claim that our simulations bear relevant quantitative estimates of the effect of ice-mélange buttressing on MICI, the mechanism has the potential to stop the instability. Further research is needed to evaluate its role for the past and future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet Misi ENVELOPE(26.683,26.683,66.617,66.617) The Cryosphere 16 5 1979 1996 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 T. Schlemm J. Feldmann R. Winkelmann A. Levermann Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Owing to global warming and particularly high regional ocean warming, both Thwaites and Pine Island Glaciers in the Amundsen region of the Antarctic Ice Sheet could lose their buttressing ice shelves over time. We analyse the possible consequences using the parallel ice sheet model (PISM), applying a simple cliff-calving parameterization and an ice mélange-buttressing model. We find that the instantaneous loss of ice-shelf buttressing, due to enforced ice-shelf melting, initiates grounding-line retreat and triggers marine ice sheet instability (MISI). As a consequence, the grounding line progresses into the interior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and leads to a sea level contribution of 0.6 m within 100 a. By subjecting the exposed ice cliffs to cliff calving using our simplified parameterization, we also analyse marine ice cliff instability (MICI). In our simulations it can double or even triple the sea level contribution depending on the only loosely constrained parameter that determines the maximum cliff-calving rate. The speed of MICI depends on this upper bound of the calving rate, which is given by the ice mélange buttressing the glacier. However, stabilization of MICI may occur for geometric reasons. Because the embayment geometry changes as MICI advances into the interior of the ice sheet, the upper bound on calving rates is reduced and the progress of MICI is slowed down. Although we cannot claim that our simulations bear relevant quantitative estimates of the effect of ice-mélange buttressing on MICI, the mechanism has the potential to stop the instability. Further research is needed to evaluate its role for the past and future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
T. Schlemm J. Feldmann R. Winkelmann A. Levermann |
author_facet |
T. Schlemm J. Feldmann R. Winkelmann A. Levermann |
author_sort |
T. Schlemm |
title |
Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_short |
Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_full |
Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_fullStr |
Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_sort |
stabilizing effect of mélange buttressing on the marine ice-cliff instability of the west antarctic ice sheet |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 https://doaj.org/article/142963221e9d46cdb4b14e9af706463f |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(26.683,26.683,66.617,66.617) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet Misi |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic West Antarctic Ice Sheet Misi |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 16, Pp 1979-1996 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/1979/2022/tc-16-1979-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/142963221e9d46cdb4b14e9af706463f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1979-2022 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
1979 |
op_container_end_page |
1996 |
_version_ |
1766249689470992384 |