Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier
Abstract Marine‐terminating glacier fjords play a central role in the transport of oceanic heat toward ice sheets, regulating their melt. Mixing processes near glacial termini are key to this circulation but remain poorly understood. We present new summer measurements of circulation and mixing near...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/article/b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 2024-09-15T18:39:07+00:00 Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier Mark E. Inall Arild Sundfjord Finlo Cottier Marie‐Louise Korte Donald A. Slater Emily J. Venables James Coogan 2024-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/article/b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 EN eng Wiley https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/toc/0094-8276 https://doaj.org/toc/1944-8007 1944-8007 0094-8276 doi:10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/article/b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 51, Iss 16, Pp n/a-n/a (2024) glaciers fjords circulation melting discharge mixing Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 2024-09-02T15:34:38Z Abstract Marine‐terminating glacier fjords play a central role in the transport of oceanic heat toward ice sheets, regulating their melt. Mixing processes near glacial termini are key to this circulation but remain poorly understood. We present new summer measurements of circulation and mixing near a marine‐terminating glacier with active sub‐glacial discharge. 65% of the fjord's vertical overturning circulation is driven by the buoyant plume, however we newly report intense vertical and horizontal mixing in the plume's horizontal spreading phase, accounting for the remaining 35%. Buoyant plume theory supports 2%–5% of total glacial melt. Thus, most of the heat associated with vertical overturing short‐circuits the glacial front. We find however that turbulence in the horizontal spreading phase redistributes the short‐circuited heat back into the surface waters of the near‐glacial zone. Our findings highlight the need for further research on the complex mixing processes that occur near the glacier terminus. Article in Journal/Newspaper Tidewater Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Geophysical Research Letters 51 16 |
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Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
glaciers fjords circulation melting discharge mixing Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 |
spellingShingle |
glaciers fjords circulation melting discharge mixing Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 Mark E. Inall Arild Sundfjord Finlo Cottier Marie‐Louise Korte Donald A. Slater Emily J. Venables James Coogan Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
topic_facet |
glaciers fjords circulation melting discharge mixing Geophysics. Cosmic physics QC801-809 |
description |
Abstract Marine‐terminating glacier fjords play a central role in the transport of oceanic heat toward ice sheets, regulating their melt. Mixing processes near glacial termini are key to this circulation but remain poorly understood. We present new summer measurements of circulation and mixing near a marine‐terminating glacier with active sub‐glacial discharge. 65% of the fjord's vertical overturning circulation is driven by the buoyant plume, however we newly report intense vertical and horizontal mixing in the plume's horizontal spreading phase, accounting for the remaining 35%. Buoyant plume theory supports 2%–5% of total glacial melt. Thus, most of the heat associated with vertical overturing short‐circuits the glacial front. We find however that turbulence in the horizontal spreading phase redistributes the short‐circuited heat back into the surface waters of the near‐glacial zone. Our findings highlight the need for further research on the complex mixing processes that occur near the glacier terminus. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mark E. Inall Arild Sundfjord Finlo Cottier Marie‐Louise Korte Donald A. Slater Emily J. Venables James Coogan |
author_facet |
Mark E. Inall Arild Sundfjord Finlo Cottier Marie‐Louise Korte Donald A. Slater Emily J. Venables James Coogan |
author_sort |
Mark E. Inall |
title |
Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
title_short |
Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
title_full |
Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
title_fullStr |
Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
title_full_unstemmed |
Mixing, Water Transformation, and Melting Close to a Tidewater Glacier |
title_sort |
mixing, water transformation, and melting close to a tidewater glacier |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/article/b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 |
genre |
Tidewater |
genre_facet |
Tidewater |
op_source |
Geophysical Research Letters, Vol 51, Iss 16, Pp n/a-n/a (2024) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/toc/0094-8276 https://doaj.org/toc/1944-8007 1944-8007 0094-8276 doi:10.1029/2024GL108421 https://doaj.org/article/b968295014874575824f2a8001eea468 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL108421 |
container_title |
Geophysical Research Letters |
container_volume |
51 |
container_issue |
16 |
_version_ |
1810483502151368704 |