Brief communication: Thwaites Glacier cavity evolution

Suzanne L. Bevan; Adrian J. Luckman; Douglas I. Benn; Susheel Adusumilli; Anna Crawford

doi:10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021

Brief communication: Thwaites Glacier cavity evolution

Suzanne L. Bevan, Adrian J. Luckman, Douglas I. Benn, Susheel Adusumilli, Anna Crawford

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Between 2014 and 2017, ocean melt eroded a large cavity beneath and along the western margin of the fast-flowing core of Thwaites Glacier. Here we show that from 2017 to the end of 2020 the cavity persisted but did not expand. This behaviour, of melt concentrated at the grounding line within confined sub-shelf cavities, fits with prior observations and modelling studies. We also show that acceleration and thinning of Thwaites Glacier grounded ice continued, with an increase in speed of 400 m a^-1 and a thinning rate of at least 1.5 m a^-1, between 2012 and 2020.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	3317-3328
Number of pages	12
Journal	Cryosphere
Volume	15
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021
Publication status	Published - 19 Jul 2021

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10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021Licence: CC BY

Bevan_2021_The-Cryosphere_Thwaites-Glacier_CC
Copyright © Author(s) 2021. Open Access. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Final published version, 19.1 MBLicence: CC BY

1 Finished
1 Active

DOMINOS: Disintegration of marine ice-sheets using novel optimised simulations (DOMINOS)
Benn, D. I. (PI) & Cowton, T. (CoI)
1/12/18 → 30/06/25
Project: Standard
Calving Laws for Ice Sheet Models: Calving Laws for Ice Sheet Models CALISMO
Benn, D. I. (PI) & Cowton, T. (CoI)
NERC
1/04/17 → 31/08/21
Project: Standard

Animation of Thwaites Glacier ice base and surface elevation profiles from June 2011 to November 2020 (dataset)
Bevan, S. (Contributor), Luckman, A. (Contributor) & Benn, D. (Contributor), British Antarctic Survey, 6 Sept 2021
DOI: 10.5285/c2dfc6b7-dd61-41f9-8624-a45f2cf978df
Dataset

Cite this

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title = "Brief communication: Thwaites Glacier cavity evolution",

abstract = "Between 2014 and 2017, ocean melt eroded a large cavity beneath and along the western margin of the fast-flowing core of Thwaites Glacier. Here we show that from 2017 to the end of 2020 the cavity persisted but did not expand. This behaviour, of melt concentrated at the grounding line within confined sub-shelf cavities, fits with prior observations and modelling studies. We also show that acceleration and thinning of Thwaites Glacier grounded ice continued, with an increase in speed of 400 m a-1 and a thinning rate of at least 1.5 m a-1, between 2012 and 2020.",

author = "Bevan, {Suzanne L.} and Luckman, {Adrian J.} and Benn, {Douglas I.} and Susheel Adusumilli and Anna Crawford",

note = "The research was completed under Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) projects CALISMO (Calving laws for ice-sheet models) and DOMINOS (Disintegration of marine ice-sheets using novel optimised solutions). The DOMINOS project is a component of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) supported by National Science Foundation (NSF: Grant PLR 1738896). ",

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AU - Bevan, Suzanne L.

AU - Luckman, Adrian J.

AU - Benn, Douglas I.

AU - Adusumilli, Susheel

AU - Crawford, Anna

N1 - The research was completed under Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) projects CALISMO (Calving laws for ice-sheet models) and DOMINOS (Disintegration of marine ice-sheets using novel optimised solutions). The DOMINOS project is a component of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) supported by National Science Foundation (NSF: Grant PLR 1738896).

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Y1 - 2021/7/19

N2 - Between 2014 and 2017, ocean melt eroded a large cavity beneath and along the western margin of the fast-flowing core of Thwaites Glacier. Here we show that from 2017 to the end of 2020 the cavity persisted but did not expand. This behaviour, of melt concentrated at the grounding line within confined sub-shelf cavities, fits with prior observations and modelling studies. We also show that acceleration and thinning of Thwaites Glacier grounded ice continued, with an increase in speed of 400 m a-1 and a thinning rate of at least 1.5 m a-1, between 2012 and 2020.

AB - Between 2014 and 2017, ocean melt eroded a large cavity beneath and along the western margin of the fast-flowing core of Thwaites Glacier. Here we show that from 2017 to the end of 2020 the cavity persisted but did not expand. This behaviour, of melt concentrated at the grounding line within confined sub-shelf cavities, fits with prior observations and modelling studies. We also show that acceleration and thinning of Thwaites Glacier grounded ice continued, with an increase in speed of 400 m a-1 and a thinning rate of at least 1.5 m a-1, between 2012 and 2020.

U2 - 10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021

DO - 10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021

M3 - Article

SN - 1994-0416

VL - 15

SP - 3317

EP - 3328

JO - Cryosphere

JF - Cryosphere

IS - 7

ER -

Brief communication: Thwaites Glacier cavity evolution

Abstract

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Projects

DOMINOS: Disintegration of marine ice-sheets using novel optimised simulations (DOMINOS)

Calving Laws for Ice Sheet Models: Calving Laws for Ice Sheet Models CALISMO

Datasets

Animation of Thwaites Glacier ice base and surface elevation profiles from June 2011 to November 2020 (dataset)

Cite this