Hot rocks in a cold place: high sub-glacial heat flow in East Antarctica

• Main Authors: Chris J. Carson, Sandra McLaren, Jason L. Roberts, Steven D. Boger, Donald D. Blankenship
• Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Geology; Antarctic ice sheet; heat flow; crust result; heat flows; ice modelling studies; ice mass balance; boundary parameter; East Antarctica Numerical models; Hot rocks; ice sheet behaviour; Antarctic; East Antarctica; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.3453554.v1; https://figshare.com/articles/Hot_rocks_in_a_cold_place_high_sub-glacial_heat_flow_in_East_Antarctica/3453554

Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behaviour of the Antarctic ice sheet. However, a key boundary parameter, sub-glacial heat flow, remains poorly constrained. We show that variations in abundance and distribution of heat-producing elements within the Antarctic continental crust result in greater and more variable regional sub-glacial heat flows than currently assumed in ice modelling studies. Such elevated heat flows would have a fundamental effect on ice sheet behaviour and highlight that geological controls on heat flow must be considered to obtain more accurate and refined predictions of ice mass balance and sea-level change.