Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet
In recent decades, global warming has driven significant mass losses across the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). Global warming of 1.5◦C and 2◦C is expected to beexceeded in the coming decades, which will trigger further AIS instabilities (Pattyn et al., 2018; Pörtner et al., 2022). The AIS has the potent...
Main Author: | |
---|---|
Format: | Thesis |
Language: | unknown |
Published: |
2023
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.22597135 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Present_and_future_Ross_Ice_Shelf_dynamics_from_observations_and_modelling_and_implications_for_the_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet/22597135 |
id |
ftvictoriauwfig:oai:figshare.com:article/22597135 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
ftvictoriauwfig:oai:figshare.com:article/22597135 2023-06-11T04:06:08+02:00 Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet Francesca Baldacchino 2023-04-13T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.22597135 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Present_and_future_Ross_Ice_Shelf_dynamics_from_observations_and_modelling_and_implications_for_the_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet/22597135 unknown doi:10.26686/wgtn.22597135 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Present_and_future_Ross_Ice_Shelf_dynamics_from_observations_and_modelling_and_implications_for_the_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet/22597135 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Geophysics not elsewhere classified Glaciology Ross Ice Shelf Ice shelf dynamics Antarctic Ice Sheet 040499 Geophysics not elsewhere classified 040602 Glaciology 190503 Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts) 190502 Climate variability (excl. social impacts) Degree Discipline: Geophysics Degree Level: Doctoral Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy Text Thesis 2023 ftvictoriauwfig https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.22597135 2023-04-19T23:13:59Z In recent decades, global warming has driven significant mass losses across the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). Global warming of 1.5◦C and 2◦C is expected to beexceeded in the coming decades, which will trigger further AIS instabilities (Pattyn et al., 2018; Pörtner et al., 2022). The AIS has the potential to be the largest contributor to global sea level rise; thus, it is essential to understand the dynamics of the AIS in a warming world to aid governmental policies. The most significant mass losses in the AIS are driven by ocean-forced basal melting reducing the buttressing ability of ice shelves. The Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) is the largest cold water ice shelf on the AIS and buttresses the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Understanding the current dynamics of the RIS in a warming world is important as the ice shelf has a large control over the mass balance of the AIS. Seasonal changes in sea ice cover have recently been found to elevate basal melt rates at the calving front of the RIS (Stewart et al., 2019). This thesis sets out to understand the influence of short-term environmental variability on RIS flow dynamics. This will be achieved through observing the RIS flow rates over seasonal and interannual timescales using GNSS and remote sensing methods. Exploration of environmental drivers of the observed flow variability is carried out using the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model (ISSM). Furthermore, ISSM is used to quantify sensitive areas of the RIS to changes in glaciology and environmental controls. The results showed that the RIS flow rates do not vary significantly on seasonal or interannual timescales, suggesting that the RIS dynamics are insensitive to external forcings at seasonal and interannual frequencies. However, basal melting was found to drive seasonal variations in ice flow dynamics with similar patterns to the GNSS velocities. The sensitivity maps highlighted that changes in basal melt in sensitive areas (i.e., grounding lines and shear margins) would impact the mass balance substantially and ... Thesis Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ross Ice Shelf Sea ice Open Access Victoria University of Wellington / Te Herenga Waka Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Ross Ice Shelf The Antarctic |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Open Access Victoria University of Wellington / Te Herenga Waka |
op_collection_id |
ftvictoriauwfig |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Geophysics not elsewhere classified Glaciology Ross Ice Shelf Ice shelf dynamics Antarctic Ice Sheet 040499 Geophysics not elsewhere classified 040602 Glaciology 190503 Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts) 190502 Climate variability (excl. social impacts) Degree Discipline: Geophysics Degree Level: Doctoral Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy |
spellingShingle |
Geophysics not elsewhere classified Glaciology Ross Ice Shelf Ice shelf dynamics Antarctic Ice Sheet 040499 Geophysics not elsewhere classified 040602 Glaciology 190503 Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts) 190502 Climate variability (excl. social impacts) Degree Discipline: Geophysics Degree Level: Doctoral Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy Francesca Baldacchino Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
topic_facet |
Geophysics not elsewhere classified Glaciology Ross Ice Shelf Ice shelf dynamics Antarctic Ice Sheet 040499 Geophysics not elsewhere classified 040602 Glaciology 190503 Effects of climate change on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic environments (excl. social impacts) 190502 Climate variability (excl. social impacts) Degree Discipline: Geophysics Degree Level: Doctoral Degree Name: Doctor of Philosophy |
description |
In recent decades, global warming has driven significant mass losses across the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS). Global warming of 1.5◦C and 2◦C is expected to beexceeded in the coming decades, which will trigger further AIS instabilities (Pattyn et al., 2018; Pörtner et al., 2022). The AIS has the potential to be the largest contributor to global sea level rise; thus, it is essential to understand the dynamics of the AIS in a warming world to aid governmental policies. The most significant mass losses in the AIS are driven by ocean-forced basal melting reducing the buttressing ability of ice shelves. The Ross Ice Shelf (RIS) is the largest cold water ice shelf on the AIS and buttresses the West and East Antarctic Ice Sheet. Understanding the current dynamics of the RIS in a warming world is important as the ice shelf has a large control over the mass balance of the AIS. Seasonal changes in sea ice cover have recently been found to elevate basal melt rates at the calving front of the RIS (Stewart et al., 2019). This thesis sets out to understand the influence of short-term environmental variability on RIS flow dynamics. This will be achieved through observing the RIS flow rates over seasonal and interannual timescales using GNSS and remote sensing methods. Exploration of environmental drivers of the observed flow variability is carried out using the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model (ISSM). Furthermore, ISSM is used to quantify sensitive areas of the RIS to changes in glaciology and environmental controls. The results showed that the RIS flow rates do not vary significantly on seasonal or interannual timescales, suggesting that the RIS dynamics are insensitive to external forcings at seasonal and interannual frequencies. However, basal melting was found to drive seasonal variations in ice flow dynamics with similar patterns to the GNSS velocities. The sensitivity maps highlighted that changes in basal melt in sensitive areas (i.e., grounding lines and shear margins) would impact the mass balance substantially and ... |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Francesca Baldacchino |
author_facet |
Francesca Baldacchino |
author_sort |
Francesca Baldacchino |
title |
Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_short |
Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_full |
Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_fullStr |
Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_full_unstemmed |
Present and future Ross Ice Shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the Antarctic Ice Sheet |
title_sort |
present and future ross ice shelf dynamics from observations and modelling, and implications for the antarctic ice sheet |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.22597135 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Present_and_future_Ross_Ice_Shelf_dynamics_from_observations_and_modelling_and_implications_for_the_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet/22597135 |
geographic |
Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Ross Ice Shelf The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic East Antarctic Ice Sheet Ross Ice Shelf The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ross Ice Shelf Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Ice Sheet Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Ross Ice Shelf Sea ice |
op_relation |
doi:10.26686/wgtn.22597135 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Present_and_future_Ross_Ice_Shelf_dynamics_from_observations_and_modelling_and_implications_for_the_Antarctic_Ice_Sheet/22597135 |
op_rights |
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.26686/wgtn.22597135 |
_version_ |
1768377922111930368 |