Articles | Volume 12, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1699-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1699-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Tidal bending of ice shelves as a mechanism for large-scale temporal variations in ice flow
Sebastian H. R. Rosier
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
G. Hilmar Gudmundsson
Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
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Cited
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Tidal Grounding‐Line Migration Modulated by Subglacial Hydrology K. Warburton et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089088
- Large Earthquakes in Subduction Zones around the Polar Regions as a Possible Reason for Rapid Climate Warming in the Arctic and Glacier Collapse in West Antarctica L. Lobkovsky et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13060171
- Ocean tides trigger ice shelf rift growth and calving O. Marsh et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61796-w
- Differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar for tide modelling in Antarctic ice-shelf grounding zones C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3171-2019
- Modeling ice shelf cavities in the unstructured-grid, Finite Volume Community Ocean Model: Implementation and effects of resolving small-scale topography Q. Zhou & T. Hattermann https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2019.101536
- Stress State and Mechanics of Ice Shelves Collapse I. Garagash et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X24602402
- Grounding‐Zone Flow Variability of Priestley Glacier, Antarctica, in a Diurnal Tidal Regime R. Drews et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL093853
- Observations of Tidal Melt and Vertical Strain at the Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica I. Vaňková et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005280
- Activation of Existing Surface Crevasses Has Limited Impact on Grounding Line Flux of Antarctic Ice Streams C. Gerli et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101687
- Exploring mechanisms responsible for tidal modulation in flow of the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf S. Rosier & G. Gudmundsson https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-17-2020
- Tidal Modulation of a Lateral Shear Margin: Priestley Glacier, Antarctica H. Still et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.828313
- Monitoring shear-zone weakening in East Antarctic outlet glaciers through differential InSAR measurements C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4533-2025
- Tidal Pressurization of the Ocean Cavity Near an Antarctic Ice Shelf Grounding Line C. Begeman et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015562
- Predicting tidal heights for extreme environments: from 25 h observations to accurate predictions at Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station, Ross Sea, Antarctica D. Byun & D. Hart https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-1111-2020
- Instantaneous Antarctic ice sheet mass loss driven by thinning ice shelves G. Gudmundsson et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085027
- Treatment of ice-shelf evolution combining flow and flexure D. MacAyeal et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.39
- Subglacial topography and ice flux along the English Coast of Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula K. Winter et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3453-2020
- Stress state and mechanics of glacier shelvescollapse I. Garagash et al. https://doi.org/10.31857/S2686739724080169
18 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Tidal Grounding‐Line Migration Modulated by Subglacial Hydrology K. Warburton et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL089088
- Large Earthquakes in Subduction Zones around the Polar Regions as a Possible Reason for Rapid Climate Warming in the Arctic and Glacier Collapse in West Antarctica L. Lobkovsky et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences13060171
- Ocean tides trigger ice shelf rift growth and calving O. Marsh et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-61796-w
- Differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar for tide modelling in Antarctic ice-shelf grounding zones C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3171-2019
- Modeling ice shelf cavities in the unstructured-grid, Finite Volume Community Ocean Model: Implementation and effects of resolving small-scale topography Q. Zhou & T. Hattermann https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2019.101536
- Stress State and Mechanics of Ice Shelves Collapse I. Garagash et al. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X24602402
- Grounding‐Zone Flow Variability of Priestley Glacier, Antarctica, in a Diurnal Tidal Regime R. Drews et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL093853
- Observations of Tidal Melt and Vertical Strain at the Filchner‐Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica I. Vaňková et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005280
- Activation of Existing Surface Crevasses Has Limited Impact on Grounding Line Flux of Antarctic Ice Streams C. Gerli et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL101687
- Exploring mechanisms responsible for tidal modulation in flow of the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf S. Rosier & G. Gudmundsson https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-17-2020
- Tidal Modulation of a Lateral Shear Margin: Priestley Glacier, Antarctica H. Still et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.828313
- Monitoring shear-zone weakening in East Antarctic outlet glaciers through differential InSAR measurements C. Wild et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4533-2025
- Tidal Pressurization of the Ocean Cavity Near an Antarctic Ice Shelf Grounding Line C. Begeman et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JC015562
- Predicting tidal heights for extreme environments: from 25 h observations to accurate predictions at Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station, Ross Sea, Antarctica D. Byun & D. Hart https://doi.org/10.5194/os-16-1111-2020
- Instantaneous Antarctic ice sheet mass loss driven by thinning ice shelves G. Gudmundsson et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085027
- Treatment of ice-shelf evolution combining flow and flexure D. MacAyeal et al. https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.39
- Subglacial topography and ice flux along the English Coast of Palmer Land, Antarctic Peninsula K. Winter et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-3453-2020
- Stress state and mechanics of glacier shelvescollapse I. Garagash et al. https://doi.org/10.31857/S2686739724080169
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 05 Jun 2026
Short summary
Ocean tides cause strong modulation of horizontal ice shelf flow, most notably at a fortnightly frequency that is absent in the vertical tidal forcing. We propose that tidal bending in the margins of the ice shelf produces sufficiently large stresses that the effective viscosity of ice in these regions is reduced during high and low tide. This effect can explain many features of the observed behaviour and implies that ice shelves in areas with strong tides move faster than they otherwise would.
Ocean tides cause strong modulation of horizontal ice shelf flow, most notably at a fortnightly...