Wind-Associated Melt Trends and Contrasts Between the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Laffin, Matthew K., Zender, Charles S., van Wessem, Melchior, Noël, Brice, Wang, Wenshan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: John Wiley and Sons Inc 2023
• Subjects: Antarctic ice sheets; Downslope winds; Greenland Ice Sheet; Hydrofractures; Ice sheet; Ice shelves; Katabatic winds; Regional climate model simulation; Run-off; Sheet surface; Geophysics; Earth and Planetary Sciences (all); General Earth and Planetary Sciences; Physical; chemical; mathematical & earth Sciences; Earth sciences & physical geography; Physique; chimie; mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Antarc*; Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Greenland; Ice Sheet; Ice Shelf; Ice Shelves; North Atlantic; North Atlantic oscillation
• Online Access: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/306387; https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/306387/1/Laffin_2023_GRL.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102828

peer reviewed Föhn and katabatic winds (downslope winds) can increase ice sheet surface melt, run-off, and ice-shelf vulnerability to hydrofracture and are poorly constrained on the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets (GIS and AIS). We use regional climate model simulations of the GIS and AIS to quantify and intercompare trends in downslope winds and associated melt since 1960. Results reveal surface melt associated with downslope wind is significant on both the GIS and AIS representing 27.5 ± 4.5% and 19.7 ± 3.8% of total surface melt respectively. Wind-associated melt has decreased 31.8 ± 5.3% on the AIS while total melt decreased 15.4 ± 2.4% due to decreased föhn-induced melt on the Antarctic Peninsula and increasing stratospheric ozone. Wind-associated melt has increased 10.3 ± 2.5% on the GIS, combining with a more positive North Atlantic Oscillation and warmer surface to increase total melt 34 ± 5.8%.