Articles | Volume 14, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1067-2020
© Author(s) 2020. 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-14-1067-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
24 Mar 2020
Research article |
| 24 Mar 2020
Ice island thinning: rates and model calibration with in situ observations from Baffin Bay, Nunavut
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
School of Geography and Sustainable Development, University of St
Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9AJ, UK
Derek Mueller
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
Gregory Crocker
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
Laurent Mingo
Blue System Integration Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, V5W 3H4,
Canada
Luc Desjardins
Department of Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton
University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1S 5B6, Canada
Dany Dumont
Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Université du
Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec, G5L 3A1, Canada
Marcel Babin
Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec,
Quebec, G1V 0A6, Canada
Related authors
Douglas I. Benn, Adrian Luckman, Jan A. Åström, Anna J. Crawford, Stephen L. Cornford, Suzanne L. Bevan, Thomas Zwinger, Rupert Gladstone, Karen Alley, Erin Pettit, and Jeremy Bassis
The Cryosphere, 16, 2545–2564, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Thwaites Glacier (TG), in West Antarctica, is potentially unstable and may contribute significantly to sea-level rise as global warming continues. Using satellite data, we show that Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf, the largest remaining floating extension of TG, has started to accelerate as it fragments along a shear zone. Computer modelling does not indicate that fragmentation will lead to imminent glacier collapse, but it is clear that major, rapid, and unpredictable changes are underway.
Suzanne L. Bevan, Adrian J. Luckman, Douglas I. Benn, Susheel Adusumilli, and Anna Crawford
The Cryosphere, 15, 3317–3328, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet depends on the behaviour of the fast-flowing glaciers, such as Thwaites, that connect it to the ocean. Here we show that a large ocean-melted cavity beneath Thwaites Glacier has remained stable since it first formed, implying that, in line with current theory, basal melt is now concentrated close to where the ice first goes afloat. We also show that Thwaites Glacier continues to thin and to speed up and that continued retreat is therefore likely.
Elie Dumas-Lefebvre and Dany Dumont
The Cryosphere, 17, 827–842, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-827-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-827-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
By changing the shape of ice floes, wave-induced sea ice breakup dramatically affects the large-scale dynamics of sea ice. As this process is also the trigger of multiple others, it was deemed relevant to study how breakup itself affects the ice floe size distribution. To do so, a ship sailed close to ice floes, and the breakup that it generated was recorded with a drone. The obtained data shed light on the underlying physics of wave-induced sea ice breakup.
Flavienne Bruyant, Rémi Amiraux, Marie-Pier Amyot, Philippe Archambault, Lise Artigue, Lucas Barbedo de Freitas, Guislain Bécu, Simon Bélanger, Pascaline Bourgain, Annick Bricaud, Etienne Brouard, Camille Brunet, Tonya Burgers, Danielle Caleb, Katrine Chalut, Hervé Claustre, Véronique Cornet-Barthaux, Pierre Coupel, Marine Cusa, Fanny Cusset, Laeticia Dadaglio, Marty Davelaar, Gabrièle Deslongchamps, Céline Dimier, Julie Dinasquet, Dany Dumont, Brent Else, Igor Eulaers, Joannie Ferland, Gabrielle Filteau, Marie-Hélène Forget, Jérome Fort, Louis Fortier, Martí Galí, Morgane Gallinari, Svend-Erik Garbus, Nicole Garcia, Catherine Gérikas Ribeiro, Colline Gombault, Priscilla Gourvil, Clémence Goyens, Cindy Grant, Pierre-Luc Grondin, Pascal Guillot, Sandrine Hillion, Rachel Hussherr, Fabien Joux, Hannah Joy-Warren, Gabriel Joyal, David Kieber, Augustin Lafond, José Lagunas, Patrick Lajeunesse, Catherine Lalande, Jade Larivière, Florence Le Gall, Karine Leblanc, Mathieu Leblanc, Justine Legras, Keith Lévesque, Kate-M. Lewis, Edouard Leymarie, Aude Leynaert, Thomas Linkowski, Martine Lizotte, Adriana Lopes dos Santos, Claudie Marec, Dominique Marie, Guillaume Massé, Philippe Massicotte, Atsushi Matsuoka, Lisa A. Miller, Sharif Mirshak, Nathalie Morata, Brivaela Moriceau, Philippe-Israël Morin, Simon Morisset, Anders Mosbech, Alfonso Mucci, Gabrielle Nadaï, Christian Nozais, Ingrid Obernosterer, Thimoté Paire, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Marie Parenteau, Noémie Pelletier, Marc Picheral, Bernard Quéguiner, Patrick Raimbault, Joséphine Ras, Eric Rehm, Llúcia Ribot Lacosta, Jean-François Rontani, Blanche Saint-Béat, Julie Sansoulet, Noé Sardet, Catherine Schmechtig, Antoine Sciandra, Richard Sempéré, Caroline Sévigny, Jordan Toullec, Margot Tragin, Jean-Éric Tremblay, Annie-Pier Trottier, Daniel Vaulot, Anda Vladoiu, Lei Xue, Gustavo Yunda-Guarin, and Marcel Babin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4607–4642, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4607-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4607-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a dataset acquired during a research cruise held in Baffin Bay in 2016. We observed that the disappearance of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean increases both the length and spatial extent of the phytoplankton growth season. In the future, this will impact the food webs on which the local populations depend for their food supply and fisheries. This dataset will provide insight into quantifying these impacts and help the decision-making process for policymakers.
Rainer Kiko, Marc Picheral, David Antoine, Marcel Babin, Léo Berline, Tristan Biard, Emmanuel Boss, Peter Brandt, Francois Carlotti, Svenja Christiansen, Laurent Coppola, Leandro de la Cruz, Emilie Diamond-Riquier, Xavier Durrieu de Madron, Amanda Elineau, Gabriel Gorsky, Lionel Guidi, Helena Hauss, Jean-Olivier Irisson, Lee Karp-Boss, Johannes Karstensen, Dong-gyun Kim, Rachel M. Lekanoff, Fabien Lombard, Rubens M. Lopes, Claudie Marec, Andrew M. P. McDonnell, Daniela Niemeyer, Margaux Noyon, Stephanie H. O'Daly, Mark D. Ohman, Jessica L. Pretty, Andreas Rogge, Sarah Searson, Masashi Shibata, Yuji Tanaka, Toste Tanhua, Jan Taucher, Emilia Trudnowska, Jessica S. Turner, Anya Waite, and Lars Stemmann
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 14, 4315–4337, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4315-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-14-4315-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The term
marine particlescomprises detrital aggregates; fecal pellets; bacterioplankton, phytoplankton and zooplankton; and even fish. Here, we present a global dataset that contains 8805 vertical particle size distribution profiles obtained with Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP5) camera systems. These data are valuable to the scientific community, as they can be used to constrain important biogeochemical processes in the ocean, such as the flux of carbon to the deep sea.
Gauthier Vérin, Florent Domine, Marcel Babin, Ghislain Picard, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 16, 3431–3449, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow physical properties on Arctic sea ice are monitored during the melt season. As snow grains grow, and the snowpack thickness is reduced, the surface albedo decreases. The extra absorbed energy accelerates melting. Radiative transfer modeling shows that more radiation is then transmitted to the snow–sea-ice interface. A sharp increase in transmitted radiation takes place when the snowpack thins significantly, and this coincides with the initiation of the phytoplankton bloom in the seawater.
Douglas I. Benn, Adrian Luckman, Jan A. Åström, Anna J. Crawford, Stephen L. Cornford, Suzanne L. Bevan, Thomas Zwinger, Rupert Gladstone, Karen Alley, Erin Pettit, and Jeremy Bassis
The Cryosphere, 16, 2545–2564, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Thwaites Glacier (TG), in West Antarctica, is potentially unstable and may contribute significantly to sea-level rise as global warming continues. Using satellite data, we show that Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf, the largest remaining floating extension of TG, has started to accelerate as it fragments along a shear zone. Computer modelling does not indicate that fragmentation will lead to imminent glacier collapse, but it is clear that major, rapid, and unpredictable changes are underway.
Martine Lizotte, Bennet Juhls, Atsushi Matsuoka, Philippe Massicotte, Gaëlle Mével, David Obie James Anikina, Sofia Antonova, Guislain Bécu, Marine Béguin, Simon Bélanger, Thomas Bossé-Demers, Lisa Bröder, Flavienne Bruyant, Gwénaëlle Chaillou, Jérôme Comte, Raoul-Marie Couture, Emmanuel Devred, Gabrièle Deslongchamps, Thibaud Dezutter, Miles Dillon, David Doxaran, Aude Flamand, Frank Fell, Joannie Ferland, Marie-Hélène Forget, Michael Fritz, Thomas J. Gordon, Caroline Guilmette, Andrea Hilborn, Rachel Hussherr, Charlotte Irish, Fabien Joux, Lauren Kipp, Audrey Laberge-Carignan, Hugues Lantuit, Edouard Leymarie, Antonio Mannino, Juliette Maury, Paul Overduin, Laurent Oziel, Colin Stedmon, Crystal Thomas, Lucas Tisserand, Jean-Éric Tremblay, Jorien Vonk, Dustin Whalen, and Marcel Babin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-163, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2022-163, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Permafrost thaw in the Mackenzie Delta region results in the release of organic matter into the coastal marine environment. What happens to this carbon-rich organic matter as it transits along the fresh to salty aquatic environments is still under-documented. Four expeditions were conducted from April to September 2019 in the coastal area of the Beaufort Sea to study the fate of organic matter. This paper describes a rich set of data characterizing the composition and sources of organic matter.
Frédéric Dupont, Dany Dumont, Jean-François Lemieux, Elie Dumas-Lefebvre, and Alain Caya
The Cryosphere, 16, 1963–1977, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1963-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1963-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In some shallow seas, grounded ice ridges contribute to stabilizing and maintaining a landfast ice cover. A scheme has already proposed where the keel thickness varies linearly with the mean thickness. Here, we extend the approach by taking into account the ice thickness and bathymetry distributions. The probabilistic approach shows a reasonably good agreement with observations and previous grounding scheme while potentially offering more physical insights into the formation of landfast ice.
Reza Zeinali-Torbati, Ian D. Turnbull, Rocky S. Taylor, and Derek Mueller
The Cryosphere, 15, 5601–5621, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5601-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5601-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using the reanalysis datasets and the Canadian Ice Island Drift, Deterioration and Detection database, a probabilistic model was developed to quantify ice island fracture probability under various atmospheric and oceanic conditions. The model identified water temperature as the most dominant variable behind ice island fracture events, while ocean currents played a minor role. The developed model offers a predictive capability and could be of particular interest to offshore and marine activities.
Christophe Perron, Christian Katlein, Simon Lambert-Girard, Edouard Leymarie, Louis-Philippe Guinard, Pierre Marquet, and Marcel Babin
The Cryosphere, 15, 4483–4500, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4483-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4483-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Characterizing the evolution of inherent optical properties (IOPs) of sea ice in situ is necessary to improve climate and arctic ecosystem models. Here we present the development of an optical probe, based on the spatially resolved diffuse reflectance method, to measure IOPs of a small volume of sea ice (dm3) in situ and non-destructively. For the first time, in situ vertically resolved profiles of the dominant IOP, the reduced scattering coefficient, were obtained for interior sea ice.
Gwenaëlle Gremion, Louis-Philippe Nadeau, Christiane Dufresne, Irene R. Schloss, Philippe Archambault, and Dany Dumont
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 4535–4554, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4535-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-4535-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
An accurate description of detritic organic particles is key to improving estimations of carbon export into the ocean abyss in ocean general circulation models. Yet, most parametrization are numerically impractical due to the required number of tracers needed to resolve the particle size spectrum. Here, a new parametrization that aims to minimize the tracers number while accurately describing the particles dynamics is developed and tested in a series of idealized numerical experiments.
Suzanne L. Bevan, Adrian J. Luckman, Douglas I. Benn, Susheel Adusumilli, and Anna Crawford
The Cryosphere, 15, 3317–3328, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3317-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet depends on the behaviour of the fast-flowing glaciers, such as Thwaites, that connect it to the ocean. Here we show that a large ocean-melted cavity beneath Thwaites Glacier has remained stable since it first formed, implying that, in line with current theory, basal melt is now concentrated close to where the ice first goes afloat. We also show that Thwaites Glacier continues to thin and to speed up and that continued retreat is therefore likely.
Christine F. Dow, Derek Mueller, Peter Wray, Drew Friedrichs, Alexander L. Forrest, Jasmin B. McInerney, Jamin Greenbaum, Donald D. Blankenship, Choon Ki Lee, and Won Sang Lee
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-168, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-168, 2021
Preprint under review for TC
Short summary
Short summary
Ice shelves are a key control on Antarctic contribution to sea level rise. Here we examine Nansen Ice Shelf in East Antarctica using a combination of satellite data and field data. We find the basal topography of the ice shelf is highly variable, only partially visible in satellite datasets. We also find that the thinnest region of the ice shelf is altered over time by ice flow rates and ocean melting. These processes can cause fractures to form that eventually result in large calving events.
Philippe Massicotte, Rainer M. W. Amon, David Antoine, Philippe Archambault, Sergio Balzano, Simon Bélanger, Ronald Benner, Dominique Boeuf, Annick Bricaud, Flavienne Bruyant, Gwenaëlle Chaillou, Malik Chami, Bruno Charrière, Jing Chen, Hervé Claustre, Pierre Coupel, Nicole Delsaut, David Doxaran, Jens Ehn, Cédric Fichot, Marie-Hélène Forget, Pingqing Fu, Jonathan Gagnon, Nicole Garcia, Beat Gasser, Jean-François Ghiglione, Gaby Gorsky, Michel Gosselin, Priscillia Gourvil, Yves Gratton, Pascal Guillot, Hermann J. Heipieper, Serge Heussner, Stanford B. Hooker, Yannick Huot, Christian Jeanthon, Wade Jeffrey, Fabien Joux, Kimitaka Kawamura, Bruno Lansard, Edouard Leymarie, Heike Link, Connie Lovejoy, Claudie Marec, Dominique Marie, Johannie Martin, Jacobo Martín, Guillaume Massé, Atsushi Matsuoka, Vanessa McKague, Alexandre Mignot, William L. Miller, Juan-Carlos Miquel, Alfonso Mucci, Kaori Ono, Eva Ortega-Retuerta, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Tim Papakyriakou, Marc Picheral, Louis Prieur, Patrick Raimbault, Joséphine Ras, Rick A. Reynolds, André Rochon, Jean-François Rontani, Catherine Schmechtig, Sabine Schmidt, Richard Sempéré, Yuan Shen, Guisheng Song, Dariusz Stramski, Eri Tachibana, Alexandre Thirouard, Imma Tolosa, Jean-Éric Tremblay, Mickael Vaïtilingom, Daniel Vaulot, Frédéric Vaultier, John K. Volkman, Huixiang Xie, Guangming Zheng, and Marcel Babin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 13, 1561–1592, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-1561-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-13-1561-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The MALINA oceanographic expedition was conducted in the Mackenzie River and the Beaufort Sea systems. The sampling was performed across seven shelf–basin transects to capture the meridional gradient between the estuary and the open ocean. The main goal of this research program was to better understand how processes such as primary production are influencing the fate of organic matter originating from the surrounding terrestrial landscape during its transition toward the Arctic Ocean.
Ariadna Celina Nocera, Dany Dumont, and Irene R. Schloss
Biogeosciences Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2020-10, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-2020-10, 2020
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Zooplankton, which means drifting animals, represents a large class of animals that graze the phytoplankton that grows near the surface of oceans, lakes and estuaries and feed many other organisms of aquatic food webs. It is known that zooplankton migrate vertically every day in the water column to avoid visual predation, a process that is not often represented in ecosystem models. This paper presents a model that simulate this behavior and study its impacts on a coastal ocean environment.
Philippe Massicotte, Rémi Amiraux, Marie-Pier Amyot, Philippe Archambault, Mathieu Ardyna, Laurent Arnaud, Lise Artigue, Cyril Aubry, Pierre Ayotte, Guislain Bécu, Simon Bélanger, Ronald Benner, Henry C. Bittig, Annick Bricaud, Éric Brossier, Flavienne Bruyant, Laurent Chauvaud, Debra Christiansen-Stowe, Hervé Claustre, Véronique Cornet-Barthaux, Pierre Coupel, Christine Cox, Aurelie Delaforge, Thibaud Dezutter, Céline Dimier, Florent Domine, Francis Dufour, Christiane Dufresne, Dany Dumont, Jens Ehn, Brent Else, Joannie Ferland, Marie-Hélène Forget, Louis Fortier, Martí Galí, Virginie Galindo, Morgane Gallinari, Nicole Garcia, Catherine Gérikas Ribeiro, Margaux Gourdal, Priscilla Gourvil, Clemence Goyens, Pierre-Luc Grondin, Pascal Guillot, Caroline Guilmette, Marie-Noëlle Houssais, Fabien Joux, Léo Lacour, Thomas Lacour, Augustin Lafond, José Lagunas, Catherine Lalande, Julien Laliberté, Simon Lambert-Girard, Jade Larivière, Johann Lavaud, Anita LeBaron, Karine Leblanc, Florence Le Gall, Justine Legras, Mélanie Lemire, Maurice Levasseur, Edouard Leymarie, Aude Leynaert, Adriana Lopes dos Santos, Antonio Lourenço, David Mah, Claudie Marec, Dominique Marie, Nicolas Martin, Constance Marty, Sabine Marty, Guillaume Massé, Atsushi Matsuoka, Lisa Matthes, Brivaela Moriceau, Pierre-Emmanuel Muller, Christopher-John Mundy, Griet Neukermans, Laurent Oziel, Christos Panagiotopoulos, Jean-Jacques Pangrazi, Ghislain Picard, Marc Picheral, France Pinczon du Sel, Nicole Pogorzelec, Ian Probert, Bernard Quéguiner, Patrick Raimbault, Joséphine Ras, Eric Rehm, Erin Reimer, Jean-François Rontani, Søren Rysgaard, Blanche Saint-Béat, Makoto Sampei, Julie Sansoulet, Catherine Schmechtig, Sabine Schmidt, Richard Sempéré, Caroline Sévigny, Yuan Shen, Margot Tragin, Jean-Éric Tremblay, Daniel Vaulot, Gauthier Verin, Frédéric Vivier, Anda Vladoiu, Jeremy Whitehead, and Marcel Babin
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 12, 151–176, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-151-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-151-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The Green Edge initiative was developed to understand the processes controlling the primary productivity and the fate of organic matter produced during the Arctic spring bloom (PSB). In this article, we present an overview of an extensive and comprehensive dataset acquired during two expeditions conducted in 2015 and 2016 on landfast ice southeast of Qikiqtarjuaq Island in Baffin Bay.
Gauthier Verin, Florent Dominé, Marcel Babin, Ghislain Picard, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-113, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-113, 2019
Publication in TC not foreseen
Short summary
Short summary
The results of two sampling campaigns conducted on landfast sea ice in Baffin Bay show that the melt season can be divided into four main phases during which surface albedo and snow properties show distinct signatures. A radiative transfer model was used to successfully reconstruct the albedo from snow properties. This modeling work highlights that only little changes on the very surface of the snowpack are able to dramatically change the albedo, a key element for the energy budget of sea ice.
Jens K. Ehn, Rick A. Reynolds, Dariusz Stramski, David Doxaran, Bruno Lansard, and Marcel Babin
Biogeosciences, 16, 1583–1605, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1583-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1583-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Beam attenuation at 660 nm and suspended particle matter (SPM) relationships were determined during the MALINA cruise in August 2009 to the Canadian Beaufort Sea in order to expand our knowledge of particle distributions in Arctic shelf seas. The relationship was then used to determine SPM distributions for four other expeditions to the region. SPM patterns on the shelf were explained by an interplay between wind forcing, river discharge, and melting sea ice that controls the circulation.
Martí Galí, Maurice Levasseur, Emmanuel Devred, Rafel Simó, and Marcel Babin
Biogeosciences, 15, 3497–3519, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3497-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-3497-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new algorithm to estimate the sea-surface concentration of dimethylsulfide (DMS) using satellite data. DMS is a gas produced by marine plankton that, once emitted to the atmosphere, plays a key climatic role by seeding cloud formation. We used the algorithm to produce global DMS maps and also regional DMS time series. The latter suggest that DMS can vary largely from one year to another, which should be taken into account in atmospheric studies.
Andrew K. Hamilton, Bernard E. Laval, Derek R. Mueller, Warwick F. Vincent, and Luke Copland
The Cryosphere, 11, 2189–2211, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2189-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2189-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Meltwater runoff trapped by an ice shelf can create a freshwater lake floating directly on seawater. We show that the depth of the freshwater–seawater interface varies substantially due to changes in meltwater inflow and drainage under the ice shelf. By accounting for seasonality, the interface depth can be used to monitor long-term changes in the thickness of ice shelves. We show that the Milne Ice Shelf, Ellesmere Island, was stable before 2004, after which time the ice shelf thinned rapidly.
Related subject area
Discipline: Other | Subject: Ocean Interactions
Impact of icebergs on the seasonal submarine melt of Sermeq Kujalleq
Reversal of ocean gyres near ice shelves in the Amundsen Sea caused by the interaction of sea ice and wind
Impact of freshwater runoff from the southwest Greenland Ice Sheet on fjord productivity since the late 19th century
Modeling intensive ocean–cryosphere interactions in Lützow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica
Drivers for Atlantic-origin waters abutting Greenland
Impact of West Antarctic ice shelf melting on Southern Ocean hydrography
Quantifying iceberg calving fluxes with underwater noise
Modeling the effect of Ross Ice Shelf melting on the Southern Ocean in quasi-equilibrium
Karita Kajanto, Fiammetta Straneo, and Kerim Nisancioglu
The Cryosphere, 17, 371–390, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-371-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-371-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Many outlet glaciers in Greenland are connected to the ocean by narrow glacial fjords, where warm water melts the glacier from underneath. Ocean water is modified in these fjords through processes that are poorly understood, particularly iceberg melt. We use a model to show how iceberg melt cools down Ilulissat Icefjord and causes circulation to take place deeper in the fjord than if there were no icebergs. This causes the glacier to melt less and from a smaller area than without icebergs.
Yixi Zheng, David P. Stevens, Karen J. Heywood, Benjamin G. M. Webber, and Bastien Y. Queste
The Cryosphere, 16, 3005–3019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3005-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3005-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
New observations reveal the Thwaites gyre in a habitually ice-covered region in the Amundsen Sea for the first time. This gyre rotates anticlockwise, despite the wind here favouring clockwise gyres like the Pine Island Bay gyre – the only other ocean gyre reported in the Amundsen Sea. We use an ocean model to suggest that sea ice alters the wind stress felt by the ocean and hence determines the gyre direction and strength. These processes may also be applied to other gyres in polar oceans.
Mimmi Oksman, Anna Bang Kvorning, Signe Hillerup Larsen, Kristian Kjellerup Kjeldsen, Kenneth David Mankoff, William Colgan, Thorbjørn Joest Andersen, Niels Nørgaard-Pedersen, Marit-Solveig Seidenkrantz, Naja Mikkelsen, and Sofia Ribeiro
The Cryosphere, 16, 2471–2491, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2471-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2471-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
One of the questions facing the cryosphere community today is how increasing runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet impacts marine ecosystems. To address this, long-term data are essential. Here, we present multi-site records of fjord productivity for SW Greenland back to the 19th century. We show a link between historical freshwater runoff and productivity, which is strongest in the inner fjord – influenced by marine-terminating glaciers – where productivity has increased since the late 1990s.
Kazuya Kusahara, Daisuke Hirano, Masakazu Fujii, Alexander D. Fraser, and Takeshi Tamura
The Cryosphere, 15, 1697–1717, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1697-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1697-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We used an ocean–sea ice–ice shelf model with a 2–3 km horizontal resolution to investigate ocean–ice shelf/glacier interactions in Lützow-Holm Bay, East Antarctica. The numerical model reproduced the observed warm water intrusion along the deep trough in the bay. We examined in detail (1) water mass changes between the upper continental slope and shelf regions and (2) the fast-ice role in the ocean conditions and basal melting at the Shirase Glacier tongue.
Laura C. Gillard, Xianmin Hu, Paul G. Myers, Mads Hvid Ribergaard, and Craig M. Lee
The Cryosphere, 14, 2729–2753, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2729-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2729-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Greenland's glaciers in contact with the ocean drain the majority of the ice sheet (GrIS). Deep troughs along the shelf branch into fjords, connecting glaciers with ocean waters. The heat from the ocean entering deep troughs may then accelerate the mass loss. Onshore heat transport through troughs was investigated with an ocean model. Processes that drive the delivery of ocean heat respond differently by region to increasing GrIS meltwater, mean circulation, and filtering out of storms.
Yoshihiro Nakayama, Ralph Timmermann, and Hartmut H. Hellmer
The Cryosphere, 14, 2205–2216, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2205-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2205-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Previous studies have shown accelerations of West Antarctic glaciers, implying that basal melt rates of these glaciers were small and increased in the middle of the 20th century. We conduct coupled sea ice–ice shelf–ocean simulations with different levels of ice shelf melting from West Antarctic glaciers. This study reveals how far and how quickly glacial meltwater from ice shelves in the Amundsen and Bellingshausen seas propagates downstream into the Ross Sea and along the East Antarctic coast.
Oskar Glowacki and Grant B. Deane
The Cryosphere, 14, 1025–1042, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1025-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1025-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Marine-terminating glaciers are shrinking rapidly in response to the warming climate and thus provide large quantities of fresh water to the ocean system. However, accurate estimates of ice loss at the ice–ocean boundary are difficult to obtain. Here we demonstrate that ice mass loss from iceberg break-off (calving) can be measured by analyzing the underwater noise generated as icebergs impact the sea surface.
Xiying Liu
The Cryosphere, 12, 3033–3044, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3033-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3033-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Numerical experiments have been performed to study the effect of basal melting of the Ross Ice Shelf on the ocean southward of 35° S. It is shown that the melt rate averaged over the entire Ross Ice Shelf is 0.253 m year-1, which is associated with a freshwater flux of 3150 m3 s-1. The extra freshwater flux decreases the salinity in the Southern Ocean substantially, leading to anomalies in circulation, sea ice, and heat transport in certain parts of the ocean.
Cited articles
Abramoff, M. D., Magalhaes, P. J., and Ram, S. J.: Image processing with
ImageJ, Biophotonics Int., 11, 36–42, 2004.
Amundsen Science Data Collection: CTD data collected by the CCGS Amundsen in
the Canadian Arctic, Processed data, Version 3, Archived
at https://www.polardata.ca/, last access: 18 October 2016.
Amundsen Science Data Collection: CTD data collected by the CCGS Amundsen in the Canadian Arctic. ArcticNet Inc., Québec, Canada, Processed data, Version 1, Canadian Cryospheric Information Network (CCIN), Waterloo, Canada, https://doi.org/10.5884/12713, 2019.
Ballicater Consulting: Ice Island and Iceberg Studies 2012, Canadian Ice
Service, Environment Can., Ottawa, Ont., Contract Report, 73 pp., 2012.
Barker, A., Sayed, M., and Carrieres, T.: Determination of iceberg draft,
mass and cross-sectional areas, in: Proceedings of the 14th International
Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, Toulon, France, 23–28 May 2004,
1–6, 2004.
Bigg, G. R., Wadley, M. R., Stevens, D. P., and Johnson, J. A.: Modelling
the dynamics and thermodynamics of icebergs, Cold Reg. Sci. Tech., 26,
113–135, 1997.
Bouhier, N., Tournadre, J., Rémy, F., and Gourves-Cousin, R.: Melting and fragmentation laws
from the evolution of two large Southern Ocean icebergs estimated from satellite data, The Cryosphere, 12, 2267–2285, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2267-2018, 2018.
Crawford, A. J.: Ice island deterioration in the Canadian Arctic: Rates,
patterns and model evaluation, MSc thesis, Department of Geography and
Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ont, Canada, 140 pp., https://doi.org/10.22215/etd/2013-10024,
2013.
Crawford, A. J.: Ice island deterioration, PhD dissertation, Department of
Geography and Environmental Studies, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ont,
Canada, 205 pp., https://doi.org/10.22215/etd/2018-13178, 2018.
Crawford, A., Crocker, G., Mueller, D., Desjardins, L., Saper, R., and
Carrieres, T.: The Canadian Ice Island Drift, Deterioration and Detection
(CI2D3) Database, J. Glaciol., 64, 517–521, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.36, 2018a.
Crawford, A., Mueller, D., Desjardins, L., and Meyers, P.: The aftermath of
Petermann Glacier calving events (2008–2012): Ice island size distributions
and meltwater dispersal, J. Geophys. Res., 123, 8812–8827,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC014388, 2018b.
Crawford, A., Mueller, D., and Joyal, G.: Surveying drifting icebergs and
ice islands: Deterioration detection and mass estimation with aerial
photogrammetry and laser scanning, Remote Sens., 10, 575,
https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10040575, 2018c.
Dowdeswell, J. A. and Bamber, J. L: Keel depths of modern Antarctic icebergs
and implications for sea-floor scouring in the geological record, Mar.
Geol., 243, 120–130, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2007.04.008, 2007.
FitzMaurice, A. and Stern, A.: Parameterizing the basal melt of tabular
icebergs, Ocean Modelling, 130, 66–78, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2018.08.005,
2018.
FitzMaurice, A., Straneo, F., Cenedese, C., and Andres, M.: Effect of a
sheared flow on iceberg motion and melting, Geophys. Res. Lett.,
43, 12520–12527, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071602, 2016.
FitzMaurice, A., Cenedese, C., and Straneo, F.: Nonlinear response of iceberg
side melting to ocean currents, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 5637–5644,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL073585, 2017.
Foldvik, A., Gammelsrød, T., and Gjessing, Y.: Measurements of the
radiation temperature of Antarctic icebergs and the surrounding surface
water, Ann. Glaciol., 1, 19–22, https://doi.org/10.3189/S026030550001689X, 1980.
Fraser, A. D., Massom, R. A., Michael, K. J., Galton-Fenzi, B. K., and Lieser, J. L.:
East Antarctic landfast sea ice distribution and variability, 2000–2008, J.
Climate, 25, 1137–1156, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-10-05032.1, 2012.
Fuglem, M. and Jordaan, I.: Risk analysis and hazards of ice islands, in:
Arctic Ice Shelves and Ice Islands, edited by: Copland, L. and Mueller, D.,
Springer Netherlands, Dordrecht, 395–415, 2017.
Gladstone, R. M., Bigg, G. R., and Nicholls, K. W.: Iceberg trajectory
modeling and meltwater injection in the Southern Ocean, J. Geophys. Res.,
106, 19903–19915, 2001.
Goodman, D. J., Wadhams, P., and Squire, V. A.: The flexural response of a
tabular ice island to ocean swell, Ann. Glaciol., 1, 23–27, 1980.
GreenEdge: GreenEdge data,
available at: http://www.greenedgeproject.info/data.php, last access: March 2020.
Haas, C. and Druckenmiller, M.: Ice thickness and roughness measurements,
in: Field Techniques for Sea Ice Research, edited by: Eicken, H., Gradinger,
R., Salganek, M., Shirasawa, K., Perovich, D., and Leppäranta, M.,
University of Alaska Press, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, 49–117, 2009.
Halliday, E. J., King, T., Bobby, P., Copland, L., and Mueller, D. R.:
Petermann Ice Island `A' survey results, offshore Labrador, Proceedings
of the Arctic Technology Conference, Houston, Texas, USA, 3–5 December 2012,
OTC 23714, 2012.
Hellmer, H. H. and Olbers, D. J.: A two-dimensional model for the
thermohaline circulation under an ice shelf, Antarctic Sci., 1, 325–336,
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102089000490, 1989.
Higgins, A. K.: North Greenland ice islands, Polar Rec., 25, 207–212,
1989.
Holland, D. M. and Jenkins, A.: Modeling thermodynamic ice-ocean
interactions at the base of an ice shelf, J. Phys. Oceanogr., 29,
1787–1800, 1999.
IOC, SCOR, and IAPSO: The international thermodynamic equation of seawater
– 2010: Calculation and use of thermodynamic properties, Manuals and Guides
No. 56, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, UNESCO, Paris, France,
196 pp., 2010.
Jansen, D., Sandhager, H., and Rack, W.: Model experiments on large tabular
iceberg evolution: ablation and strain thinning, J. Glaciol., 51,
1–11, 2005.
Jansen, D., Schodlok, M., and Rack, W.: Basal melting of A-38B: A physical
model constrained by satellite observations, Remote Sens. Environ.,
111, 195–203, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2007.03.022, 2007.
Josberger, E. G.: A laboratory and field study of iceberg deterioration, in:
Proceedings of the First International Conference on Iceberg Utilization for
Fresh Water Production, Weather Modification and other Applications, edited
by: Husseiny, A. A., IA. Pergamon Press, New York, 245–264, 1977.
Keghouche, I., Counillon, F., and Bertino, L.: Modeling dynamics and
thermodynamics of icebergs in the Barents Sea from 1987 to 2005, J. Geophys.
Res., 115, C12062, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JC006165, 2010.
Kelly, D.: gsw: Gibbs Sea Water Functions (v. 1.0-5), R package, 2017.
Kubat, I., Sayed, M., Savage, S. B., and Carrieres, T.: An operational model
of iceberg drift, Int. J. Offshore Polar Eng., 15, 125–131, 2005.
Kubat, I., Sayed, M., Savage, S. B., Carrieres, T., and Crocker, G.: An
operational iceberg deterioration model, in: Proceedings of the 17th
International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference, International
Society of Offshore and Polar Engineers, Lisbon, Portugal, 1–6 June 2007,
652–657, 2007.
Leucci, G., Negri, S., and Carrozzo, M. T.: Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR):
an application for evaluating the state of maintenance of the building
coating, Ann. Geophys., 46, 481–489, 2003.
Lichey, C. and Hellmer, H. H.: Modeling giant-iceberg drift under the
influence of sea ice in the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, J. Glaciol., 47,
452–460, 2001.
Løset, S.: Numerical modelling of the temperature distribution in tabular
icebergs, Cold Reg. Sci. Tech., 21, 103–115, 1993a.
Løset, S.: Thermal energy conservation in icebergs and tracking by
temperature, J. Geophys. Res., 98, 10001, https://doi.org/10.1029/93JC00138, 1993b.
Macheret, Y. Y., Moskalevsky, M. Y., and Vasilenko, E. V.: Velocity of radio
waves in glaciers as an indicator of their hydrotherlnal state, structure
and regime, J. Glaciol., 39, 373–384, 1993.
Martin, T. and Adcroft, A.: Parameterizing the fresh-water flux from land
ice to ocean with interactive icebergs in a coupled climate model, Ocean
Model., 34, 111–124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2010.05.001, 2010.
Massom, R. A., Hill, K. L., Lytle, V. I., Worby, A. P., Paget, M. J., and
Allison, I.: Effects of regional fast-ice and iceberg distributions on the
behaviour of the Mertz Glacier polynya, East Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 33,
391–398, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756401781818518, 2001.
Merino, N., Le Sommer, J., Durand, G., Jourdain, N. C., Madec, G., Mathiot,
P., and Tournadre, J.: Antarctic icebergs melt over the Southern Ocean:
Climatology and impact on sea ice, Ocean Model., 104, 99–110,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocemod.2016.05.001, 2016.
Mingo, L. and Flowers, G.: An integrated lightweight ice-penetrating radar
system, J. Glaciol., 56, 709–714, 2010.
Mingo, L., Flowers, G., Crawford, A. J., Mueller, D., and Bigelow, D. G.: A
stationary impulse-radar system for autonomous deployment in cold and
temperature environments, Ann. Glaciol., 81, 1–9, https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2020.2, 2020.
Mueller, D., Crawford, A., Crocker, G., and Mingo, L.: Deterioration data collected from 'Petermann Ice Island-A-1-f' while grounded near Qikiqtarjuaq, Nunavut, 2015–2017,
https://doi.org/10.21963/13091, 2019.
Natural Resources Canada: Tools and Applications, available at:
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/earth-sciences/geomatics/geodetic-reference-systems/tools-applications/10925#ppp,
last access: 2016.
Oziel, L., Massicotte, P., Randelhoff, A., Ferland, J., Vladoiu, A., Lacour,
L., Galindo, V., Lambert-Girard, S., Dumont, D., Cuypers, Y.,
Bouruet-Aubertot, P., Mundy, C.-J., Ehn, J., Bécu, G., Marec, C.,
Forget, M.-H., Garcia, N., Coupel, P., Raimbault, P., Houssais, M.-N., and
Babin, M.: Environmental factors influencing the seasonal dynamics of spring
algal blooms in and beneath sea ice in western Baffin Bay, Elem. Sci. Anth.,
7, 34, https://doi.org/10.1525/elementa.372, 2019.
Sackinger, W. M., Jeffries, M. O., Li, F., and Lu, M.: Ice island creation,
drift, recurrences, mechanical properties, and interactions with Arctic
offshore oil production structures, Final Report for the U.S. Department of
Energy, University of Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, 38 pp., 1991.
Sazidy, M., Crocker, G., and Mueller, D.: A 3D numerical model of ice island
calving due to buoyancy-driven flexure, in: Proceedings of the 25th
International Conference on Port and Ocean Engineering under Arctic
Conditions, Delft, The Netherlands, 9–13 June 2019, available at: http://www.poac.com/Papers/2019/pdf/POAC19-008.pdf (last access: March 2020), 2019.
Scambos, T., Ross, R., Bauer, R., Yermolin, Y., Skvarca, P., Long, D.,
Bohlander, J., and Haran, T.: Calving and ice-shelf break-up processes
investigated by proxy: Antarctic tabular iceberg evolution during northward
drift, J. Glaciol., 54, 579–591, 2008.
Stern, A. A., Johnson, E., Holland, D. M., Wagner, T. J. W., Wadhams, P.,
Bates, R., Abrahamsen, E. P., Nicholls, K. W., Crawford, A., Gagnon, J., and
Tremblay, J.-E.: Wind-driven upwelling around grounded tabular icebergs, J.
Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 120, 5820–5835, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JC010805, 2015.
USGS (United States Geological Survey): Earthshots: Stellite Images of
Environmental Change; Petermann Glacier, Greenland, available at:
https://earthshots.usgs.gov/earthshots/node/70{#}ad-image-5-1, last access:
10 November 2019.
Wagner, T. J. W. and Eisenman, I.: How climate model biases skew the
distribution of iceberg meltwater, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 3691–3699,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071645, 2017.
Weeks, W. F. and Campbell, W. J.: Icebergs as a fresh-water source: An
appraisal, J. Glaciol., 12, 207–233, 1973.
White, F. M., Spaulding, M. L., and Gominho, L.: Theoretical estimates of
the various mechanisms involved in iceberg deterioration in the open ocean,
Technical Report, Office of Research and Development, United States Coast
Guard, Washington, DC, 133 pp., 1980.
Wilson, N.: Characterization and interpretation of polythermal structure in
two subarctic glaciers, MSc thesis, University of British Columbia,
Vancouver, B.C., 241 pp., 2012.
Wilson, N.: Radar Tools, Software program,
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.43972, 2013.
Short summary
Large tabular icebergs (
ice islands) are symbols of climate change as well as marine hazards. We measured thickness along radar transects over two visits to a 14 km2 Arctic ice island and left automated equipment to monitor surface ablation and thickness over 1 year. We assess variation in thinning rates and calibrate an ice–ocean melt model with field data. Our work contributes to understanding ice island deterioration via logistically complex fieldwork in a remote environment.
Large tabular icebergs (
ice islands) are symbols of climate change as well as marine hazards. We...
