New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations
Ice shelves play a critical role in the long-term stability of ice sheets through their buttressing effect. The underlying bathymetry and cavity thickness are key inputs for modelling future ice sheet evolution. However, direct observation of sub-ice-shelf bathymetry is time-consuming, logistically...
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2020
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9256381a687042128576c7153c2caf7b 2023-05-15T13:42:00+02:00 New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations T. A. Jordan D. Porter K. Tinto R. Millan A. Muto K. Hogan R. D. Larter A. G. C. Graham J. D. Paden 2020-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 https://doaj.org/article/9256381a687042128576c7153c2caf7b EN eng Copernicus Publications https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/14/2869/2020/tc-14-2869-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9256381a687042128576c7153c2caf7b The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 2869-2882 (2020) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 2023-01-08T01:34:25Z Ice shelves play a critical role in the long-term stability of ice sheets through their buttressing effect. The underlying bathymetry and cavity thickness are key inputs for modelling future ice sheet evolution. However, direct observation of sub-ice-shelf bathymetry is time-consuming, logistically risky, and in some areas simply not possible. Here we use new compilations of airborne and marine gravity, radar depth sounding, and swath bathymetry to provide new estimates of sub-ice-shelf bathymetry outboard of the rapidly changing West Antarctic Thwaites Glacier and beneath the adjacent Dotson and Crosson ice shelves. This region is of special interest, as the low-lying inland reverse slope of the Thwaites Glacier system makes it vulnerable to marine ice sheet instability, with rapid grounding line retreat observed since 1993 suggesting this process may be underway. Our results confirm a major marine channel >800 m deep extends tens of kilometres to the front of Thwaites Glacier, while the adjacent ice shelves are underlain by more complex bathymetry. Comparison of our new bathymetry with ice shelf draft reveals that ice shelves formed since 1993 comprise a distinct population where the draft conforms closely to the underlying bathymetry, unlike the older ice shelves, which show a more uniform depth of the ice base. This indicates that despite rapid basal melting in some areas, these recently floated parts of the ice shelf are not yet in dynamic equilibrium with their retreated grounding line positions and the underlying ocean system, a factor which must be included in future models of this region's evolution. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Thwaites Glacier Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Thwaites Glacier ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) The Cryosphere 14 9 2869 2882 |
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. A. Jordan D. Porter K. Tinto R. Millan A. Muto K. Hogan R. D. Larter A. G. C. Graham J. D. Paden New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Ice shelves play a critical role in the long-term stability of ice sheets through their buttressing effect. The underlying bathymetry and cavity thickness are key inputs for modelling future ice sheet evolution. However, direct observation of sub-ice-shelf bathymetry is time-consuming, logistically risky, and in some areas simply not possible. Here we use new compilations of airborne and marine gravity, radar depth sounding, and swath bathymetry to provide new estimates of sub-ice-shelf bathymetry outboard of the rapidly changing West Antarctic Thwaites Glacier and beneath the adjacent Dotson and Crosson ice shelves. This region is of special interest, as the low-lying inland reverse slope of the Thwaites Glacier system makes it vulnerable to marine ice sheet instability, with rapid grounding line retreat observed since 1993 suggesting this process may be underway. Our results confirm a major marine channel >800 m deep extends tens of kilometres to the front of Thwaites Glacier, while the adjacent ice shelves are underlain by more complex bathymetry. Comparison of our new bathymetry with ice shelf draft reveals that ice shelves formed since 1993 comprise a distinct population where the draft conforms closely to the underlying bathymetry, unlike the older ice shelves, which show a more uniform depth of the ice base. This indicates that despite rapid basal melting in some areas, these recently floated parts of the ice shelf are not yet in dynamic equilibrium with their retreated grounding line positions and the underlying ocean system, a factor which must be included in future models of this region's evolution. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
T. A. Jordan D. Porter K. Tinto R. Millan A. Muto K. Hogan R. D. Larter A. G. C. Graham J. D. Paden |
author_facet |
T. A. Jordan D. Porter K. Tinto R. Millan A. Muto K. Hogan R. D. Larter A. G. C. Graham J. D. Paden |
author_sort |
T. A. Jordan |
title |
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
title_short |
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
title_full |
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
title_fullStr |
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
title_full_unstemmed |
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson, and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
title_sort |
new gravity-derived bathymetry for the thwaites, crosson, and dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 https://doaj.org/article/9256381a687042128576c7153c2caf7b |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic Thwaites Glacier |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Thwaites Glacier |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Thwaites Glacier |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Thwaites Glacier |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 14, Pp 2869-2882 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/14/2869/2020/tc-14-2869-2020.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9256381a687042128576c7153c2caf7b |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2869-2020 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
2869 |
op_container_end_page |
2882 |
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1766161768016510976 |