Rapid and synchronous response of outlet glaciers to ocean warming on the Barents Sea coast, Novaya Zemlya

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Authors: Rachel Carr, Zoe Murphy, Peter Nienow, Livia Jakob, Noel Gourmelen
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press 2024
• Subjects: Arctic glaciology; atmosphere/ice/ocean interactions; climate change; ice cap; remote sensing; Environmental sciences; GE1-350; Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Arctic; Barents Sea; Kara Sea; Climate change; Ice cap; Journal of Glaciology; Novaya Zemlya; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2023.104; https://doaj.org/article/c3f60c7c5cfb49e796381a19808fb328

The Arctic is a hotspot for climate warming, making it crucial to quantify the sea level rise contribution from its ice masses. Novaya Zemlya's ice caps are the largest glacier complex in Europe and are a major contributor to contemporary sea level rise. Here we show that Novaya Zemlya outlet glaciers on the Barents Sea coast respond rapidly and consistently to oceanic forcing at annual timescales, likely due to their exposure to Atlantic Water variability. Glaciers on the Kara Sea show more variable response, likely reflecting their reduced exposure to Atlantic Water. Data demonstrate that the pause in glacier retreat previously observed on Novaya Zemlya between 2013 and 2015 has not persisted and that these changes correspond to ocean temperature variability on the Barents Sea coast. We document a marked shift to warmer air and ocean temperatures, and reduced sea ice concentrations from 2005 onwards. Although we identify ocean warming as the primary trigger for glacier retreat, we suggest that multi-year thinning, driven by the shift towards warmer air temperatures since 2005, pre-conditioned Novaya Zemlya's glaciers to retreat. Despite commonality in the timing of outlet glacier retreat, the magnitude is highly variable during rapid retreat phases, which we attribute to glacier-specific factors.