Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps
The European Alps, the cradle of pioneering glacial studies, are one of the regions where geological markers of past glaciations are most abundant and well-studied. Such conditions make the region ideal for testing numerical glacier models based on simplified ice flow physics against field-based rec...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:9f990880d0564228b256721757379946 2023-05-15T13:51:44+02:00 Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps J. Seguinot S. Ivy-Ochs G. Jouvet M. Huss M. Funk F. Preusser 2018-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 https://doaj.org/article/9f990880d0564228b256721757379946 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3265/2018/tc-12-3265-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9f990880d0564228b256721757379946 The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3265-3285 (2018) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 2022-12-31T03:22:18Z The European Alps, the cradle of pioneering glacial studies, are one of the regions where geological markers of past glaciations are most abundant and well-studied. Such conditions make the region ideal for testing numerical glacier models based on simplified ice flow physics against field-based reconstructions and vice versa. Here, we use the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) to model the entire last glacial cycle (120–0 ka) in the Alps, using horizontal resolutions of 2 and 1 km. Climate forcing is derived using two sources: present-day climate data from WorldClim and the ERA-Interim reanalysis; time-dependent temperature offsets from multiple palaeo-climate proxies. Among the latter, only the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) ice core record yields glaciation during marine oxygen isotope stages 4 (69–62 ka) and 2 (34–18 ka). This is spatially and temporally consistent with the geological reconstructions, while the other records used result in excessive early glacial cycle ice cover and a late Last Glacial Maximum. Despite the low variability of this Antarctic-based climate forcing, our simulation depicts a highly dynamic ice sheet, showing that Alpine glaciers may have advanced many times over the foreland during the last glacial cycle. Ice flow patterns during peak glaciation are largely governed by subglacial topography but include occasional transfluences through the mountain passes. Modelled maximum ice surface is on average 861 m higher than observed trimline elevations in the upper Rhône Valley, yet our simulation predicts little erosion at high elevation due to cold-based ice. Finally, despite the uniform climate forcing, differences in glacier catchment hypsometry produce a time-transgressive Last Glacial Maximum advance, with some glaciers reaching their modelled maximum extent as early as 27 ka and others as late as 21 ka. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica EPICA ice core Ice Sheet The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic The Cryosphere 12 10 3265 3285 |
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 J. Seguinot S. Ivy-Ochs G. Jouvet M. Huss M. Funk F. Preusser Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The European Alps, the cradle of pioneering glacial studies, are one of the regions where geological markers of past glaciations are most abundant and well-studied. Such conditions make the region ideal for testing numerical glacier models based on simplified ice flow physics against field-based reconstructions and vice versa. Here, we use the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) to model the entire last glacial cycle (120–0 ka) in the Alps, using horizontal resolutions of 2 and 1 km. Climate forcing is derived using two sources: present-day climate data from WorldClim and the ERA-Interim reanalysis; time-dependent temperature offsets from multiple palaeo-climate proxies. Among the latter, only the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica (EPICA) ice core record yields glaciation during marine oxygen isotope stages 4 (69–62 ka) and 2 (34–18 ka). This is spatially and temporally consistent with the geological reconstructions, while the other records used result in excessive early glacial cycle ice cover and a late Last Glacial Maximum. Despite the low variability of this Antarctic-based climate forcing, our simulation depicts a highly dynamic ice sheet, showing that Alpine glaciers may have advanced many times over the foreland during the last glacial cycle. Ice flow patterns during peak glaciation are largely governed by subglacial topography but include occasional transfluences through the mountain passes. Modelled maximum ice surface is on average 861 m higher than observed trimline elevations in the upper Rhône Valley, yet our simulation predicts little erosion at high elevation due to cold-based ice. Finally, despite the uniform climate forcing, differences in glacier catchment hypsometry produce a time-transgressive Last Glacial Maximum advance, with some glaciers reaching their modelled maximum extent as early as 27 ka and others as late as 21 ka. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
J. Seguinot S. Ivy-Ochs G. Jouvet M. Huss M. Funk F. Preusser |
author_facet |
J. Seguinot S. Ivy-Ochs G. Jouvet M. Huss M. Funk F. Preusser |
author_sort |
J. Seguinot |
title |
Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
title_short |
Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
title_full |
Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
title_fullStr |
Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the Alps |
title_sort |
modelling last glacial cycle ice dynamics in the alps |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 https://doaj.org/article/9f990880d0564228b256721757379946 |
geographic |
Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica EPICA ice core Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica EPICA ice core Ice Sheet The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3265-3285 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3265/2018/tc-12-3265-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/9f990880d0564228b256721757379946 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3265-2018 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
3265 |
op_container_end_page |
3285 |
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1766255760766926848 |