Rapid accelerations of Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers driven by surface melt

Peter A. Tuckett; Jeremy C. Ely; Andrew J. Sole; Stephen J. Livingstone; Benjamin J. Davison; J. Melchior van Wessem; Joshua Howard

doi:10.1038/s41467-019-12039-2

Rapid accelerations of Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers driven by surface melt

Peter A. Tuckett, Jeremy C. Ely, Andrew J. Sole, Stephen J. Livingstone, Benjamin J. Davison, J. Melchior van Wessem, Joshua Howard

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

Abstract

Atmospheric warming is increasing surface melting across the Antarctic Peninsula, with unknown impacts upon glacier dynamics at the ice-bed interface. Using high-resolution satellite-derived ice velocity data, optical satellite imagery and regional climate modelling, we show that drainage of surface meltwater to the bed of outlet glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula occurs and triggers rapid ice flow accelerations (up to 100% greater than the annual mean). This provides a mechanism for this sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to respond rapidly to atmospheric warming. We infer that delivery of water to the bed transiently increases basal water pressure, enhancing basal motion, but efficient evacuation subsequently reduces water pressure causing ice deceleration. Currently, melt events are sporadic, so efficient subglacial drainage cannot be maintained, resulting in multiple short-lived (<6 day) ice flow perturbations. Future increases in meltwater could induce a shift to a glacier dynamic regime characterised by seasonal-scale hydrologically-driven ice flow variations.

Original language	English
Article number	4311
Number of pages	8
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12039-2
Publication status	Published - 20 Sept 2019

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Cite this

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title = "Rapid accelerations of Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers driven by surface melt",

abstract = "Atmospheric warming is increasing surface melting across the Antarctic Peninsula, with unknown impacts upon glacier dynamics at the ice-bed interface. Using high-resolution satellite-derived ice velocity data, optical satellite imagery and regional climate modelling, we show that drainage of surface meltwater to the bed of outlet glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula occurs and triggers rapid ice flow accelerations (up to 100% greater than the annual mean). This provides a mechanism for this sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to respond rapidly to atmospheric warming. We infer that delivery of water to the bed transiently increases basal water pressure, enhancing basal motion, but efficient evacuation subsequently reduces water pressure causing ice deceleration. Currently, melt events are sporadic, so efficient subglacial drainage cannot be maintained, resulting in multiple short-lived (<6 day) ice flow perturbations. Future increases in meltwater could induce a shift to a glacier dynamic regime characterised by seasonal-scale hydrologically-driven ice flow variations.",

author = "Tuckett, {Peter A.} and Ely, {Jeremy C.} and Sole, {Andrew J.} and Livingstone, {Stephen J.} and Davison, {Benjamin J.} and {Melchior van Wessem}, J. and Joshua Howard",

note = "J.C.E. acknowledges a NERC independent research fellowship grant number NE/R014574/1. J.M.W. acknowledges financial contributions made by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (grant 866.15.201) and the Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC).",

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doi = "10.1038/s41467-019-12039-2",

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T1 - Rapid accelerations of Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers driven by surface melt

AU - Tuckett, Peter A.

AU - Ely, Jeremy C.

AU - Sole, Andrew J.

AU - Livingstone, Stephen J.

AU - Davison, Benjamin J.

AU - Melchior van Wessem, J.

AU - Howard, Joshua

N1 - J.C.E. acknowledges a NERC independent research fellowship grant number NE/R014574/1. J.M.W. acknowledges financial contributions made by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (grant 866.15.201) and the Netherlands Earth System Science Center (NESSC).

PY - 2019/9/20

Y1 - 2019/9/20

N2 - Atmospheric warming is increasing surface melting across the Antarctic Peninsula, with unknown impacts upon glacier dynamics at the ice-bed interface. Using high-resolution satellite-derived ice velocity data, optical satellite imagery and regional climate modelling, we show that drainage of surface meltwater to the bed of outlet glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula occurs and triggers rapid ice flow accelerations (up to 100% greater than the annual mean). This provides a mechanism for this sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to respond rapidly to atmospheric warming. We infer that delivery of water to the bed transiently increases basal water pressure, enhancing basal motion, but efficient evacuation subsequently reduces water pressure causing ice deceleration. Currently, melt events are sporadic, so efficient subglacial drainage cannot be maintained, resulting in multiple short-lived (<6 day) ice flow perturbations. Future increases in meltwater could induce a shift to a glacier dynamic regime characterised by seasonal-scale hydrologically-driven ice flow variations.

AB - Atmospheric warming is increasing surface melting across the Antarctic Peninsula, with unknown impacts upon glacier dynamics at the ice-bed interface. Using high-resolution satellite-derived ice velocity data, optical satellite imagery and regional climate modelling, we show that drainage of surface meltwater to the bed of outlet glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula occurs and triggers rapid ice flow accelerations (up to 100% greater than the annual mean). This provides a mechanism for this sector of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to respond rapidly to atmospheric warming. We infer that delivery of water to the bed transiently increases basal water pressure, enhancing basal motion, but efficient evacuation subsequently reduces water pressure causing ice deceleration. Currently, melt events are sporadic, so efficient subglacial drainage cannot be maintained, resulting in multiple short-lived (<6 day) ice flow perturbations. Future increases in meltwater could induce a shift to a glacier dynamic regime characterised by seasonal-scale hydrologically-driven ice flow variations.

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DO - 10.1038/s41467-019-12039-2

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SN - 2041-1723

VL - 10

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

M1 - 4311

ER -

Rapid accelerations of Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers driven by surface melt

Abstract

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