Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica
Thwaites Glacier is the most rapidly changing outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and adds large uncertainty to 21st century sea-level rise predictions. Here, we present the first direct observations of ocean temperature, salinity, and oxygen beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf front, collected by an auto...
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2021
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Online Access: | https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/pathways-and-modification-of-warm-water-flowing-beneath-thwaites-ice-shelf-west-antarctica(3faabe8e-f916-4a7f-9970-db244438ad43).html https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/23018/1/W_hlin_2021_SA_Pathways_CC.pdf |
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ftunstandrewcris:oai:risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk:publications/3faabe8e-f916-4a7f-9970-db244438ad43 2023-05-15T13:39:30+02:00 Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica Wåhlin, A.K. Graham, A. Hogan, K.A. Queste, B.Y. Boehme, Lars Larter, R. Pettit, E. Wellner, J. Heywood, K.J. 2021-04-09 application/pdf https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/pathways-and-modification-of-warm-water-flowing-beneath-thwaites-ice-shelf-west-antarctica(3faabe8e-f916-4a7f-9970-db244438ad43).html https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/23018/1/W_hlin_2021_SA_Pathways_CC.pdf eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Wåhlin , A K , Graham , A , Hogan , K A , Queste , B Y , Boehme , L , Larter , R , Pettit , E , Wellner , J & Heywood , K J 2021 , ' Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica ' , Science Advances , vol. 7 , no. 15 , eabd7254 . https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 article 2021 ftunstandrewcris https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 2022-06-02T07:52:43Z Thwaites Glacier is the most rapidly changing outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and adds large uncertainty to 21st century sea-level rise predictions. Here, we present the first direct observations of ocean temperature, salinity, and oxygen beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf front, collected by an autonomous underwater vehicle. On the basis of these data, pathways and modification of water flowing into the cavity are identified. Deep water underneath the central ice shelf derives from a previously underestimated eastern branch of warm water entering the cavity from Pine Island Bay. Inflow of warm and outflow of melt-enriched waters are identified in two seafloor troughs to the north. Spatial property gradients highlight a previously unknown convergence zone in one trough, where different water masses meet and mix. Our observations show warm water impinging from all sides on pinning points critical to ice-shelf stability, a scenario that may lead to unpinning and retreat. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Pine Island Pine Island Bay Thwaites Glacier Thwaites Ice Shelf West Antarctica University of St Andrews: Research Portal Antarctic Island Bay ENVELOPE(-109.085,-109.085,59.534,59.534) Pine Island Bay ENVELOPE(-102.000,-102.000,-74.750,-74.750) Thwaites Glacier ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica Science Advances 7 15 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of St Andrews: Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftunstandrewcris |
language |
English |
description |
Thwaites Glacier is the most rapidly changing outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and adds large uncertainty to 21st century sea-level rise predictions. Here, we present the first direct observations of ocean temperature, salinity, and oxygen beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf front, collected by an autonomous underwater vehicle. On the basis of these data, pathways and modification of water flowing into the cavity are identified. Deep water underneath the central ice shelf derives from a previously underestimated eastern branch of warm water entering the cavity from Pine Island Bay. Inflow of warm and outflow of melt-enriched waters are identified in two seafloor troughs to the north. Spatial property gradients highlight a previously unknown convergence zone in one trough, where different water masses meet and mix. Our observations show warm water impinging from all sides on pinning points critical to ice-shelf stability, a scenario that may lead to unpinning and retreat. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Wåhlin, A.K. Graham, A. Hogan, K.A. Queste, B.Y. Boehme, Lars Larter, R. Pettit, E. Wellner, J. Heywood, K.J. |
spellingShingle |
Wåhlin, A.K. Graham, A. Hogan, K.A. Queste, B.Y. Boehme, Lars Larter, R. Pettit, E. Wellner, J. Heywood, K.J. Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
author_facet |
Wåhlin, A.K. Graham, A. Hogan, K.A. Queste, B.Y. Boehme, Lars Larter, R. Pettit, E. Wellner, J. Heywood, K.J. |
author_sort |
Wåhlin, A.K. |
title |
Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
title_short |
Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
title_full |
Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica |
title_sort |
pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath thwaites ice shelf, west antarctica |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://risweb.st-andrews.ac.uk/portal/en/researchoutput/pathways-and-modification-of-warm-water-flowing-beneath-thwaites-ice-shelf-west-antarctica(3faabe8e-f916-4a7f-9970-db244438ad43).html https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/23018/1/W_hlin_2021_SA_Pathways_CC.pdf |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-109.085,-109.085,59.534,59.534) ENVELOPE(-102.000,-102.000,-74.750,-74.750) ENVELOPE(-106.750,-106.750,-75.500,-75.500) |
geographic |
Antarctic Island Bay Pine Island Bay Thwaites Glacier West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Island Bay Pine Island Bay Thwaites Glacier West Antarctic Ice Sheet West Antarctica |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Pine Island Pine Island Bay Thwaites Glacier Thwaites Ice Shelf West Antarctica |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Pine Island Pine Island Bay Thwaites Glacier Thwaites Ice Shelf West Antarctica |
op_source |
Wåhlin , A K , Graham , A , Hogan , K A , Queste , B Y , Boehme , L , Larter , R , Pettit , E , Wellner , J & Heywood , K J 2021 , ' Pathways and modification of warm water flowing beneath Thwaites Ice Shelf, West Antarctica ' , Science Advances , vol. 7 , no. 15 , eabd7254 . https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abd7254 |
container_title |
Science Advances |
container_volume |
7 |
container_issue |
15 |
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1766119706407731200 |