Antarctic ice rise formation, evolution, and stability

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Main Authors: Favier, L., Pattyn, F.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2015
• Subjects: Antarctic; Antarc*; Ice Sheet; Ice Shelf; Ice Shelves
• Online Access: https://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/314076.pdf

Antarctic ice rises originate from the contact between ice shelves and one of the numerous topographic highs emerging from the edge of the continental shelf. While investigations of the Raymond effect indicate their millennial-scale stability, little is known about their formation and their role in ice shelf stability. Here we present for the first time the simulation of an ice rise using the BISICLES model. The numerical results successfully reproduce several field-observable features, such as the substantial thinning downstream of the ice rise and the successive formation of a promontory and ice rise with stable radial ice flow center, showing that ice rises are formed during the ice sheet deglaciation. We quantify the ice rise buttressing effect, found to be mostly transient, delaying grounding line retreat significantly but resulting in comparable steady state positions. We demonstrate that ice rises are key in controlling simulations of Antarctic deglaciation.