Hot rocks in a cold place: high sub-glacial heat flow in East Antarctica

• Published in: Journal of the Geological Society
• Main Authors: Carson, CJ, McLaren, S, Roberts, JL, Boger, SD, Blankenship, DD
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Geological Soc Publ House 2014
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Oceanography; Physical Oceanography; Antarctic; East Antarctica; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1144/jgs2013-030; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/96126

Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behaviour of the Antarctic ice sheet. However, a key boundary parameter, sub-glacial heat flow, remains poorly constrained. We show that variations in abundance and distribution of heat-producing elements within the Antarctic continental crust result in greater and more variable regional sub-glacial heat flows than currently assumed in ice modelling studies. Such elevated heat flows would have a fundamental effect on ice sheet behaviour and highlight that geological controls on heat flow must be considered to obtain more accurate and refined predictions of ice mass balance and sea-level change.