On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling
Ice shelves play a key role in the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet due to their buttressing effect. A loss of buttressing as a result of increased basal melting or ice shelf disintegration will lead to increased ice discharge. Some ice shelves exhibit channels at the base that are not yet fully...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:5dfe9d0c25354de0a1e909df18e69804 2023-05-15T13:59:05+02:00 On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling A. Humbert J. Christmann H. F. J. Corr V. Helm L.-S. Höyns C. Hofstede R. Müller N. Neckel K. W. Nicholls T. Schultz D. Steinhage M. Wolovick O. Zeising 2022-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 https://doaj.org/article/5dfe9d0c25354de0a1e909df18e69804 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4107/2022/tc-16-4107-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/5dfe9d0c25354de0a1e909df18e69804 The Cryosphere, Vol 16, Pp 4107-4139 (2022) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 2022-12-30T19:53:07Z Ice shelves play a key role in the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet due to their buttressing effect. A loss of buttressing as a result of increased basal melting or ice shelf disintegration will lead to increased ice discharge. Some ice shelves exhibit channels at the base that are not yet fully understood. In this study, we present in situ melt rates of a channel which is up to 330 m high and located in the southern Filchner Ice Shelf. Maximum observed melt rates are 2 m yr −1 . Melt rates inside the channel decrease in the direction of ice flow and turn to freezing ∼55 km downstream of the grounding line. While closer to the grounding line melt rates are higher within the channel than outside, this relationship reverses further downstream. Comparing the modeled evolution of this channel under present-day climate conditions over 250 years with its present geometry reveals a mismatch. Melt rates twice as large as the present-day values are required to fit the observed geometry. In contrast, forcing the model with present-day melt rates results in a closure of the channel, which contradicts observations. The ice shelf experiences strong tidal variability in vertical strain rates at the measured site, and discrete pulses of increased melting occurred throughout the measurement period. The type of melt channel in this study diminishes in height with distance from the grounding line and is hence not a destabilizing factor for ice shelves. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Antarctic Filchner Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-40.000,-40.000,-79.000,-79.000) The Cryosphere 16 10 4107 4139 |
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 A. Humbert J. Christmann H. F. J. Corr V. Helm L.-S. Höyns C. Hofstede R. Müller N. Neckel K. W. Nicholls T. Schultz D. Steinhage M. Wolovick O. Zeising On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Ice shelves play a key role in the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet due to their buttressing effect. A loss of buttressing as a result of increased basal melting or ice shelf disintegration will lead to increased ice discharge. Some ice shelves exhibit channels at the base that are not yet fully understood. In this study, we present in situ melt rates of a channel which is up to 330 m high and located in the southern Filchner Ice Shelf. Maximum observed melt rates are 2 m yr −1 . Melt rates inside the channel decrease in the direction of ice flow and turn to freezing ∼55 km downstream of the grounding line. While closer to the grounding line melt rates are higher within the channel than outside, this relationship reverses further downstream. Comparing the modeled evolution of this channel under present-day climate conditions over 250 years with its present geometry reveals a mismatch. Melt rates twice as large as the present-day values are required to fit the observed geometry. In contrast, forcing the model with present-day melt rates results in a closure of the channel, which contradicts observations. The ice shelf experiences strong tidal variability in vertical strain rates at the measured site, and discrete pulses of increased melting occurred throughout the measurement period. The type of melt channel in this study diminishes in height with distance from the grounding line and is hence not a destabilizing factor for ice shelves. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
A. Humbert J. Christmann H. F. J. Corr V. Helm L.-S. Höyns C. Hofstede R. Müller N. Neckel K. W. Nicholls T. Schultz D. Steinhage M. Wolovick O. Zeising |
author_facet |
A. Humbert J. Christmann H. F. J. Corr V. Helm L.-S. Höyns C. Hofstede R. Müller N. Neckel K. W. Nicholls T. Schultz D. Steinhage M. Wolovick O. Zeising |
author_sort |
A. Humbert |
title |
On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
title_short |
On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
title_full |
On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
title_fullStr |
On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
title_full_unstemmed |
On the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of Filchner Ice Shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
title_sort |
on the evolution of an ice shelf melt channel at the base of filchner ice shelf, from observations and viscoelastic modeling |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 https://doaj.org/article/5dfe9d0c25354de0a1e909df18e69804 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-40.000,-40.000,-79.000,-79.000) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Filchner Ice Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Filchner Ice Shelf |
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 4107-4139 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/16/4107/2022/tc-16-4107-2022.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/5dfe9d0c25354de0a1e909df18e69804 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4107-2022 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
16 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
4107 |
op_container_end_page |
4139 |
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1766267471247966208 |