Precursor Motion to Iceberg Calving at Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, Observed with Terrestrial Radar Interferometry
Time-varying elevations near the calving front of Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland were observed with a terrestrial radar interferometer (TRI) in June 2015. An ice block with surface dimensions of 1370 m × 290 m calved on 10 June. TRI-generated time series show that ice elevation near the calving front b...
Main Authors: | , , , , |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
Digital Commons @ University of South Florida
2016
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/geo_facpub/1091 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2091&context=geo_facpub |
Summary: | Time-varying elevations near the calving front of Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland were observed with a terrestrial radar interferometer (TRI) in June 2015. An ice block with surface dimensions of 1370 m × 290 m calved on 10 June. TRI-generated time series show that ice elevation near the calving front began to increase 65 h prior to the event, and can be fit with a simple block rotation model. We hypothesize that subsurface melting at the base of the floating terminus breaks the gravity-buoyancy equilibrium, leading to slow subsidence and rotation of the block, and its eventual failure. |
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