Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains
Glacier motion responds dynamically to changing meltwater inputs, but the multi-decadal response of basal sliding to climate remains poorly constrained due to its sensitivity across multiple timescales. Observational records of glacier motion provide critical benchmarks to decode processes influenci...
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Cambridge University Press
2023
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.45 https://doaj.org/article/ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 2023-05-15T16:57:33+02:00 Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains Nathan T. Stevens Collin J. Roland Lucas K. Zoet Richard B. Alley Dougal D. Hansen Emily Schwans 2023-02-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.45 https://doaj.org/article/ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 EN eng Cambridge University Press https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022000454/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2022.45 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 Journal of Glaciology, Vol 69, Pp 71-86 (2023) Glacier flow glacier mechanics glacier monitoring mountain glaciers subglacial exploration geophysics Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.45 2023-03-12T01:30:54Z Glacier motion responds dynamically to changing meltwater inputs, but the multi-decadal response of basal sliding to climate remains poorly constrained due to its sensitivity across multiple timescales. Observational records of glacier motion provide critical benchmarks to decode processes influencing glacier dynamics, but multi-decadal records that precede satellite observation and modern warming are rare. Here we present a record of motion in the ablation zone of Saskatchewan Glacier that spans seven decades. We combine in situ and remote-sensing observations to inform a first-order glacier flow model used to estimate the relative contributions of sliding and internal deformation on dynamics. We find a significant increase in basal sliding rates between melt-seasons in the 1950s and those in the 1990s and 2010s and explore three process-based explanations for this anomalous behavior: (i) the glacier surface steepened over seven decades, maintaining flow-driving stresses despite sustained thinning; (ii) the formation of a proglacial lake after 1955 may support elevated basal water pressures; and (iii) subglacial topography may cause dynamic responses specific to Saskatchewan Glacier. Although further constraints are necessary to ascertain which processes are of greatest importance for Saskatchewan Glacier's dynamic evolution, this record provides a benchmark for studies of multi-decadal glacier dynamics. Article in Journal/Newspaper Journal of Glaciology Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Journal of Glaciology 69 273 71 86 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Glacier flow glacier mechanics glacier monitoring mountain glaciers subglacial exploration geophysics Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
spellingShingle |
Glacier flow glacier mechanics glacier monitoring mountain glaciers subglacial exploration geophysics Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 Nathan T. Stevens Collin J. Roland Lucas K. Zoet Richard B. Alley Dougal D. Hansen Emily Schwans Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
topic_facet |
Glacier flow glacier mechanics glacier monitoring mountain glaciers subglacial exploration geophysics Environmental sciences GE1-350 Meteorology. Climatology QC851-999 |
description |
Glacier motion responds dynamically to changing meltwater inputs, but the multi-decadal response of basal sliding to climate remains poorly constrained due to its sensitivity across multiple timescales. Observational records of glacier motion provide critical benchmarks to decode processes influencing glacier dynamics, but multi-decadal records that precede satellite observation and modern warming are rare. Here we present a record of motion in the ablation zone of Saskatchewan Glacier that spans seven decades. We combine in situ and remote-sensing observations to inform a first-order glacier flow model used to estimate the relative contributions of sliding and internal deformation on dynamics. We find a significant increase in basal sliding rates between melt-seasons in the 1950s and those in the 1990s and 2010s and explore three process-based explanations for this anomalous behavior: (i) the glacier surface steepened over seven decades, maintaining flow-driving stresses despite sustained thinning; (ii) the formation of a proglacial lake after 1955 may support elevated basal water pressures; and (iii) subglacial topography may cause dynamic responses specific to Saskatchewan Glacier. Although further constraints are necessary to ascertain which processes are of greatest importance for Saskatchewan Glacier's dynamic evolution, this record provides a benchmark for studies of multi-decadal glacier dynamics. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Nathan T. Stevens Collin J. Roland Lucas K. Zoet Richard B. Alley Dougal D. Hansen Emily Schwans |
author_facet |
Nathan T. Stevens Collin J. Roland Lucas K. Zoet Richard B. Alley Dougal D. Hansen Emily Schwans |
author_sort |
Nathan T. Stevens |
title |
Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_short |
Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_full |
Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_fullStr |
Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_full_unstemmed |
Multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at Saskatchewan Glacier, Canadian Rocky Mountains |
title_sort |
multi-decadal basal slip enhancement at saskatchewan glacier, canadian rocky mountains |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.45 https://doaj.org/article/ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 |
genre |
Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology, Vol 69, Pp 71-86 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022000454/type/journal_article https://doaj.org/toc/0022-1430 https://doaj.org/toc/1727-5652 doi:10.1017/jog.2022.45 0022-1430 1727-5652 https://doaj.org/article/ad247671b405494e869da6d5a4ebf1a6 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.45 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
69 |
container_issue |
273 |
container_start_page |
71 |
op_container_end_page |
86 |
_version_ |
1766049119215812608 |