Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study
Understanding ice shelfocean interaction is fundamental to projecting the Antarctic ice sheet response to a warming climate. Numerical ice shelfocean models are a powerful tool for simulating this interaction, yet are limited by inherent model weaknesses and scarce observations, leading to parameter...
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ftunivtasecite:oai:ecite.utas.edu.au:137484 2023-05-15T13:42:40+02:00 Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study Gwyther, DE Kusahara, K Asay-Davis, XS Dinniman, MS Galton-Fenzi, BK 2020 application/pdf https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484 en eng Elsevier Sci Ltd http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484/1/137484 - Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 Gwyther, DE and Kusahara, K and Asay-Davis, XS and Dinniman, MS and Galton-Fenzi, BK, Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study, Ocean Modelling, 147 Article 101569. ISSN 1463-5003 (2020) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484 Earth Sciences Physical geography and environmental geoscience Glaciology Refereed Article PeerReviewed 2020 ftunivtasecite https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 2022-08-29T22:17:53Z Understanding ice shelfocean interaction is fundamental to projecting the Antarctic ice sheet response to a warming climate. Numerical ice shelfocean models are a powerful tool for simulating this interaction, yet are limited by inherent model weaknesses and scarce observations, leading to parameterisations that are unverified and unvalidated below ice shelves. We explore how different models simulate ice shelfocean interaction using the 2nd Ice ShelfOcean Model Intercomparison Project (ISOMIP+) framework. Vertical discretisation and resolution of the ocean model are shown to have a significant effect on ice shelf basal melt rate, through differences in the distribution of meltwater fluxes and the calculation of thermal driving. Z-coordinate models, which generally have coarser vertical resolution in ice shelf cavities, may simulate higher melt rates compared to terrain-following coordinate models. This is due to the typically higher resolution of the iceocean boundary layer region in terrain following models, which allows better representation of a thin meltwater layer, increased stratification, and as a result, better insulation of the ice from water below. We show that a terrain-following model, a z-level coordinate model and a hybrid approach give similar results when the effective vertical resolution adjacent to the ice shelf base is similar, despite each model employing different paradigms for distributing meltwater fluxes and sampling tracers for melting. We provide a benchmark for thermodynamic ice shelfocean interaction with different model vertical coordinates and vertical resolutions, and suggest a framework for any future ice shelfocean thermodynamic parameterisations. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) Antarctic The Antarctic Ocean Modelling 147 101569 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
eCite UTAS (University of Tasmania) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtasecite |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth Sciences Physical geography and environmental geoscience Glaciology |
spellingShingle |
Earth Sciences Physical geography and environmental geoscience Glaciology Gwyther, DE Kusahara, K Asay-Davis, XS Dinniman, MS Galton-Fenzi, BK Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
topic_facet |
Earth Sciences Physical geography and environmental geoscience Glaciology |
description |
Understanding ice shelfocean interaction is fundamental to projecting the Antarctic ice sheet response to a warming climate. Numerical ice shelfocean models are a powerful tool for simulating this interaction, yet are limited by inherent model weaknesses and scarce observations, leading to parameterisations that are unverified and unvalidated below ice shelves. We explore how different models simulate ice shelfocean interaction using the 2nd Ice ShelfOcean Model Intercomparison Project (ISOMIP+) framework. Vertical discretisation and resolution of the ocean model are shown to have a significant effect on ice shelf basal melt rate, through differences in the distribution of meltwater fluxes and the calculation of thermal driving. Z-coordinate models, which generally have coarser vertical resolution in ice shelf cavities, may simulate higher melt rates compared to terrain-following coordinate models. This is due to the typically higher resolution of the iceocean boundary layer region in terrain following models, which allows better representation of a thin meltwater layer, increased stratification, and as a result, better insulation of the ice from water below. We show that a terrain-following model, a z-level coordinate model and a hybrid approach give similar results when the effective vertical resolution adjacent to the ice shelf base is similar, despite each model employing different paradigms for distributing meltwater fluxes and sampling tracers for melting. We provide a benchmark for thermodynamic ice shelfocean interaction with different model vertical coordinates and vertical resolutions, and suggest a framework for any future ice shelfocean thermodynamic parameterisations. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gwyther, DE Kusahara, K Asay-Davis, XS Dinniman, MS Galton-Fenzi, BK |
author_facet |
Gwyther, DE Kusahara, K Asay-Davis, XS Dinniman, MS Galton-Fenzi, BK |
author_sort |
Gwyther, DE |
title |
Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
title_short |
Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
title_full |
Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
title_fullStr |
Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
title_sort |
vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study |
publisher |
Elsevier Sci Ltd |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484 |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves |
op_relation |
http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484/1/137484 - Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting.pdf http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 Gwyther, DE and Kusahara, K and Asay-Davis, XS and Dinniman, MS and Galton-Fenzi, BK, Vertical processes and resolution impact ice shelf basal melting: a multi-model study, Ocean Modelling, 147 Article 101569. ISSN 1463-5003 (2020) [Refereed Article] http://ecite.utas.edu.au/137484 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2020.101569 |
container_title |
Ocean Modelling |
container_volume |
147 |
container_start_page |
101569 |
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1766171110567575552 |