Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics
Recent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the Wi...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f1 2023-05-15T13:51:23+02:00 Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney 2016-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 https://doaj.org/article/e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f1 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/2317/2016/tc-10-2317-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f1 The Cryosphere, Vol 10, Pp 2317-2328 (2016) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2016 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 2022-12-31T13:20:37Z Recent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the Wilkes Basin, one of the major marine-based sectors of the EAIS, on Southern Ocean dynamics. Climate model simulations reveal that the meltwater flux rapidly stratifies surface waters, leading to a dramatic decrease in the rate of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation. The surface ocean cools but, critically, the Southern Ocean warms by more than 1 °C at depth. This warming is accompanied by a Southern Ocean-wide “domino effect”, whereby the warming signal propagates westward with depth. Our results suggest that melting of one sector of the EAIS could result in accelerated warming across other sectors, including the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Thus, localised melting of the EAIS could potentially destabilise the wider Antarctic Ice Sheet. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean The Cryosphere Weddell Sea Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean Weddell Weddell Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet The Cryosphere 10 5 2317 2328 |
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 S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Recent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the Wilkes Basin, one of the major marine-based sectors of the EAIS, on Southern Ocean dynamics. Climate model simulations reveal that the meltwater flux rapidly stratifies surface waters, leading to a dramatic decrease in the rate of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation. The surface ocean cools but, critically, the Southern Ocean warms by more than 1 °C at depth. This warming is accompanied by a Southern Ocean-wide “domino effect”, whereby the warming signal propagates westward with depth. Our results suggest that melting of one sector of the EAIS could result in accelerated warming across other sectors, including the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Thus, localised melting of the EAIS could potentially destabilise the wider Antarctic Ice Sheet. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney |
author_facet |
S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney |
author_sort |
S. J. Phipps |
title |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_short |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_full |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_fullStr |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_sort |
impacts of marine instability across the east antarctic ice sheet on southern ocean dynamics |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 https://doaj.org/article/e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f1 |
geographic |
Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean Weddell Weddell Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean Weddell Weddell Sea West Antarctic Ice Sheet |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Southern Ocean The Cryosphere Weddell Sea |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 10, Pp 2317-2328 (2016) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/2317/2016/tc-10-2317-2016.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f1 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-2317-2016 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
10 |
container_issue |
5 |
container_start_page |
2317 |
op_container_end_page |
2328 |
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1766255229613899776 |