Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming
THE breaking up of ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula has been cited1 as a “sign that a dangerous warming is beginning in Antarctica”. Here we present satellite images showing the disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf, which lies off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1). Fract...
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:519773 2023-05-15T13:49:34+02:00 Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming Doake, C.S.M. Vaughan, David G. 1991-03 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519773/ https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 unknown Springer Doake, C.S.M.; Vaughan, David G. orcid:0000-0002-9065-0570 . 1991 Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming. Nature, 350 (6316). 328-330. https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 <https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0> Publication - Article PeerReviewed 1991 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 2023-02-04T19:46:24Z THE breaking up of ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula has been cited1 as a “sign that a dangerous warming is beginning in Antarctica”. Here we present satellite images showing the disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf, which lies off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1). Fracture, either in the form of surface crevasses or rifts extending to the bottom of the ice shelf, has been responsible for iceberg calving and weakening the central region of the ice shelf. These fracture processes, which led to retreat of the ice front, were apparently enhanced by the presence of increased amounts of melt water, resulting from a warming trend recorded in mean annual air temperatures in Marguerite Bay. If this warming trend continues, other nearby ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula may be at risk. But substantial additional warming would be required before similar processes could initiate breakup of the Ross and Filchner–Ronne ice shelves, which help stabilize the West Antarctic ice sheet. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Iceberg* Wordie Ice Shelf Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula West Antarctic Ice Sheet Marguerite ENVELOPE(141.378,141.378,-66.787,-66.787) Marguerite Bay ENVELOPE(-68.000,-68.000,-68.500,-68.500) Wordie ENVELOPE(-67.500,-67.500,-69.167,-69.167) Wordie Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-67.750,-67.750,-69.250,-69.250) Nature 350 6316 328 330 |
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Open Polar |
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Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
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ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
description |
THE breaking up of ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula has been cited1 as a “sign that a dangerous warming is beginning in Antarctica”. Here we present satellite images showing the disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf, which lies off the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula (Fig. 1). Fracture, either in the form of surface crevasses or rifts extending to the bottom of the ice shelf, has been responsible for iceberg calving and weakening the central region of the ice shelf. These fracture processes, which led to retreat of the ice front, were apparently enhanced by the presence of increased amounts of melt water, resulting from a warming trend recorded in mean annual air temperatures in Marguerite Bay. If this warming trend continues, other nearby ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula may be at risk. But substantial additional warming would be required before similar processes could initiate breakup of the Ross and Filchner–Ronne ice shelves, which help stabilize the West Antarctic ice sheet. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Doake, C.S.M. Vaughan, David G. |
spellingShingle |
Doake, C.S.M. Vaughan, David G. Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
author_facet |
Doake, C.S.M. Vaughan, David G. |
author_sort |
Doake, C.S.M. |
title |
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
title_short |
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
title_full |
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
title_fullStr |
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
title_sort |
rapid disintegration of the wordie ice shelf in response to atmospheric warming |
publisher |
Springer |
publishDate |
1991 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/519773/ https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(141.378,141.378,-66.787,-66.787) ENVELOPE(-68.000,-68.000,-68.500,-68.500) ENVELOPE(-67.500,-67.500,-69.167,-69.167) ENVELOPE(-67.750,-67.750,-69.250,-69.250) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula West Antarctic Ice Sheet Marguerite Marguerite Bay Wordie Wordie Ice Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula West Antarctic Ice Sheet Marguerite Marguerite Bay Wordie Wordie Ice Shelf |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Iceberg* Wordie Ice Shelf |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Peninsula Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Iceberg* Wordie Ice Shelf |
op_relation |
Doake, C.S.M.; Vaughan, David G. orcid:0000-0002-9065-0570 . 1991 Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming. Nature, 350 (6316). 328-330. https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 <https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0 |
container_title |
Nature |
container_volume |
350 |
container_issue |
6316 |
container_start_page |
328 |
op_container_end_page |
330 |
_version_ |
1766251758619721728 |