Simulated retreat of Jakobshavn Isbræ since the Little Ice Age controlled by geometry

Steiger, Nadine; Nisancioglu, Kerim H.; Åkesson, Henning; de Fleurian, Basile; Nick, Faezeh M.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2249-2018

Articles | Volume 12, issue 7

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2249-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2249-2018

© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 12, issue 7

Research article

|

12 Jul 2018

Research article |

| 12 Jul 2018

Simulated retreat of Jakobshavn Isbræ since the Little Ice Age controlled by geometry

Nadine Steiger, Kerim H. Nisancioglu, Henning Åkesson, Basile de Fleurian, and Faezeh M. Nick

Data sets

Flowline model output for Jakobshavn Isbræ from 1850-2014 with different changes in forcing parameters N. Steiger, K. Nisancioglu, H. Åkesson, B. de Fleurian, and F. Nick https://doi.org/10.11582/2018.00018

Short summary

We use an ice flow model to reconstruct the retreat of Jakobshavn Isbræ since 1850, forced by increased ocean warming and calving. Fjord geometry governs locations of rapid retreat: narrow and shallow areas act as intermittent pinning points for decades, followed by delayed rapid retreat without additional climate warming. These areas may be used to locate potential moraine buildup. Evidently, historic retreat and geometric influences have to be analyzed individually for each glacier system.