Modelling the response of ice shelf basal melting to different ocean cavity environmental regimes

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Authors: David E. Gwyther, Eva A. Cougnon, Benjamin K. Galton-Fenzi, Jason L. Roberts, John R. Hunter, Michael S. Dinniman
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2016
• Subjects: ice shelves; ice/ocean interactions; melt - basal; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Annals of Glaciology; Ice Shelf; Ice Shelves
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2016.31; https://doaj.org/article/7c28ab483f2846c8994ce7c608b25ce7

We present simulation results from a version of the Regional Ocean Modeling System modified for ice shelf/ocean interaction, including the parameterisation of basal melting by molecular diffusion alone. Simulations investigate the differences in melting for an idealised ice shelf experiencing a range of cold to hot ocean cavity conditions. Both the pattern of melt and the location of maximum melt shift due to changes in the buoyancy-driven circulation, in a different way to previous studies. Tidal forcing increases both the circulation strength and melting, with the strongest impact on the cold cavity case. Our results highlight the importance of including a complete melt parameterisation and tidal forcing. In response to the 2.4°C ocean warming initially applied to a cold cavity ice shelf, we find that melting will increase by about an order of magnitude (24 × with tides and 41 × without tides).