The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet
Coupling between runoff, hydrology, basal motion, and mass loss (“hydrology-dynamics”) is a critical component of the Greenland Ice Sheet system. Despite considerable research effort, the mechanisms by which runoff influences ice dynamics and the net long-term (decadal and longer) dynamical effect o...
Published in: | Frontiers in Earth Science |
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Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media SA
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Online Access: | https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/ https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/1/Davison%20et%20al%202019%20The%20influence%20of%20hydrology%20on%20the%20dynamics%20of%20land-terminating%20sectors%20of%20the%20Greenland%20Ice%20Sheet.pdf https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00010 |
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ftleedsuniv:oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:142898 2023-05-15T16:28:44+02:00 The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet Davison, B.J. Sole, A.J. Livingstone, S.J. Cowton, T.R. Nienow, P.W. 2019-02-21 text https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/ https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/1/Davison%20et%20al%202019%20The%20influence%20of%20hydrology%20on%20the%20dynamics%20of%20land-terminating%20sectors%20of%20the%20Greenland%20Ice%20Sheet.pdf https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00010 en eng Frontiers Media SA https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/1/Davison%20et%20al%202019%20The%20influence%20of%20hydrology%20on%20the%20dynamics%20of%20land-terminating%20sectors%20of%20the%20Greenland%20Ice%20Sheet.pdf Davison, B.J., Sole, A.J. orcid.org/0000-0001-5290-8967 , Livingstone, S.J. et al. (2 more authors) (2019) The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7. 10. ISSN 2296-6463 cc_by_4 CC-BY Article PeerReviewed 2019 ftleedsuniv https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00010 2023-01-30T22:16:23Z Coupling between runoff, hydrology, basal motion, and mass loss (“hydrology-dynamics”) is a critical component of the Greenland Ice Sheet system. Despite considerable research effort, the mechanisms by which runoff influences ice dynamics and the net long-term (decadal and longer) dynamical effect of variations in the timing and magnitude of runoff delivery to the bed remain a subject of debate. We synthesise key research into land-terminating ice sheet hydrology-dynamics, in order to reconcile several apparent contradictions that have recently arisen as understanding of the topic has developed. We suggest that meltwater interaction with subglacial channels, cavities, and deforming subglacial sediment modulates ice flow variability. Increasing surface runoff supply to the bed induces cavity expansion and sediment deformation, leading to early-melt season ice flow acceleration. In the ablation area, drainage of water at times of low runoff from high-pressure subglacial environments toward more efficient drainage pathways is thought to result in reductions in water pressure, ice-bed separation and sediment deformation, causing net slow-down on annual to decadal time-scales (ice flow self-regulation), despite increasing surface melt. Further inland, thicker ice, small surface gradients and reduced runoff suppress efficient drainage development, and a small net increase in both summer and winter ice flow is observed. Predicting ice motion across land-terminating sectors of the ice sheet over the twenty-first century is confounded by inadequate understanding of the processes and feedbacks between runoff and subglacial motion. However, if runoff supply increases, we suggest that ice flow in marginal regions will continue to decrease on annual and longer timescales, principally due to (i) increasing drainage system efficiency in marginal areas, (ii) progressive depression of basal water pressure, and (iii) thinning-induced lowering of driving stresses. At higher elevations, we suggest that minor year-on-year ice flow ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Ice Sheet White Rose Research Online (Universities of Leeds, Sheffield & York) Greenland Frontiers in Earth Science 7 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
White Rose Research Online (Universities of Leeds, Sheffield & York) |
op_collection_id |
ftleedsuniv |
language |
English |
description |
Coupling between runoff, hydrology, basal motion, and mass loss (“hydrology-dynamics”) is a critical component of the Greenland Ice Sheet system. Despite considerable research effort, the mechanisms by which runoff influences ice dynamics and the net long-term (decadal and longer) dynamical effect of variations in the timing and magnitude of runoff delivery to the bed remain a subject of debate. We synthesise key research into land-terminating ice sheet hydrology-dynamics, in order to reconcile several apparent contradictions that have recently arisen as understanding of the topic has developed. We suggest that meltwater interaction with subglacial channels, cavities, and deforming subglacial sediment modulates ice flow variability. Increasing surface runoff supply to the bed induces cavity expansion and sediment deformation, leading to early-melt season ice flow acceleration. In the ablation area, drainage of water at times of low runoff from high-pressure subglacial environments toward more efficient drainage pathways is thought to result in reductions in water pressure, ice-bed separation and sediment deformation, causing net slow-down on annual to decadal time-scales (ice flow self-regulation), despite increasing surface melt. Further inland, thicker ice, small surface gradients and reduced runoff suppress efficient drainage development, and a small net increase in both summer and winter ice flow is observed. Predicting ice motion across land-terminating sectors of the ice sheet over the twenty-first century is confounded by inadequate understanding of the processes and feedbacks between runoff and subglacial motion. However, if runoff supply increases, we suggest that ice flow in marginal regions will continue to decrease on annual and longer timescales, principally due to (i) increasing drainage system efficiency in marginal areas, (ii) progressive depression of basal water pressure, and (iii) thinning-induced lowering of driving stresses. At higher elevations, we suggest that minor year-on-year ice flow ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Davison, B.J. Sole, A.J. Livingstone, S.J. Cowton, T.R. Nienow, P.W. |
spellingShingle |
Davison, B.J. Sole, A.J. Livingstone, S.J. Cowton, T.R. Nienow, P.W. The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
author_facet |
Davison, B.J. Sole, A.J. Livingstone, S.J. Cowton, T.R. Nienow, P.W. |
author_sort |
Davison, B.J. |
title |
The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_short |
The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full |
The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_fullStr |
The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet |
title_sort |
influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the greenland ice sheet |
publisher |
Frontiers Media SA |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/ https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/1/Davison%20et%20al%202019%20The%20influence%20of%20hydrology%20on%20the%20dynamics%20of%20land-terminating%20sectors%20of%20the%20Greenland%20Ice%20Sheet.pdf https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00010 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
genre_facet |
Greenland Ice Sheet |
op_relation |
https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/142898/1/Davison%20et%20al%202019%20The%20influence%20of%20hydrology%20on%20the%20dynamics%20of%20land-terminating%20sectors%20of%20the%20Greenland%20Ice%20Sheet.pdf Davison, B.J., Sole, A.J. orcid.org/0000-0001-5290-8967 , Livingstone, S.J. et al. (2 more authors) (2019) The influence of hydrology on the dynamics of land-terminating sectors of the Greenland ice sheet. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7. 10. ISSN 2296-6463 |
op_rights |
cc_by_4 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2019.00010 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
7 |
_version_ |
1766018409138487296 |