Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf
Surface melt lakes lower the albedo of ice shelves, leading to additional surface melting. This can substantially alter the surface energy balance and internal temperature and density profiles of the ice shelf. Evidence suggests that melt lakes also played a pivotal role in the sudden collapse of th...
Published in: | The Cryosphere |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2018
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 https://doaj.org/article/ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 |
id |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 2023-05-15T14:00:16+02:00 Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf S. Buzzard D. Feltham D. Flocco 2018-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 https://doaj.org/article/ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3565/2018/tc-12-3565-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3565-3575 (2018) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 2022-12-30T23:58:42Z Surface melt lakes lower the albedo of ice shelves, leading to additional surface melting. This can substantially alter the surface energy balance and internal temperature and density profiles of the ice shelf. Evidence suggests that melt lakes also played a pivotal role in the sudden collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002. Here a recently developed, high-physical-fidelity model accounting for the development cycle of melt lakes is applied to the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica's most northern ice shelf and one where melt lakes have been observed. We simulate current conditions on the ice shelf using weather station and reanalysis data and investigate the impacts of potential future increases in precipitation and air temperature on melt lake formation, for which concurrent increases lead to an increase in lake depth. Finally, we assess the viability in future crevasse propagation through the ice shelf due to surface meltwater accumulation. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles The Cryosphere 12 11 3565 3575 |
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. Buzzard D. Feltham D. Flocco Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
Surface melt lakes lower the albedo of ice shelves, leading to additional surface melting. This can substantially alter the surface energy balance and internal temperature and density profiles of the ice shelf. Evidence suggests that melt lakes also played a pivotal role in the sudden collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002. Here a recently developed, high-physical-fidelity model accounting for the development cycle of melt lakes is applied to the Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica's most northern ice shelf and one where melt lakes have been observed. We simulate current conditions on the ice shelf using weather station and reanalysis data and investigate the impacts of potential future increases in precipitation and air temperature on melt lake formation, for which concurrent increases lead to an increase in lake depth. Finally, we assess the viability in future crevasse propagation through the ice shelf due to surface meltwater accumulation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
S. Buzzard D. Feltham D. Flocco |
author_facet |
S. Buzzard D. Feltham D. Flocco |
author_sort |
S. Buzzard |
title |
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
title_short |
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
title_full |
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
title_fullStr |
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
title_full_unstemmed |
Modelling the fate of surface melt on the Larsen C Ice Shelf |
title_sort |
modelling the fate of surface melt on the larsen c ice shelf |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 https://doaj.org/article/ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 |
genre |
Antarc* Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Ice Shelf Ice Shelves The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3565-3575 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3565/2018/tc-12-3565-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/ed63d62bf8f442d085b6c708b0924472 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3565-2018 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
3565 |
op_container_end_page |
3575 |
_version_ |
1766269305958170624 |