Articles | Volume 14, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1399-2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1399-2020
Research article
 | 
27 Apr 2020
Research article |  | 27 Apr 2020

Getz Ice Shelf melt enhanced by freshwater discharge from beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Wei Wei, Donald D. Blankenship, Jamin S. Greenbaum, Noel Gourmelen, Christine F. Dow, Thomas G. Richter, Chad A. Greene, Duncan A. Young, SangHoon Lee, Tae-Wan Kim, Won Sang Lee, and Karen M. Assmann

Data sets

IceBridge Sander AIRGrav L1B, Geolo-cated Free Air Gravity Anomalies, Version 1, J. Cochran and R. Bell https://nsidc.org/icebridge/portal/

CTD casts R. A. Locarnini https://www.nodc.noaa.gov/OC5/woa13/

CryoSat-2 satellite altimetry data European Space Agency https://earth.esa.int/web/guest/data-access

Ice velocity data E. Rignot, J. Mouginot, and B. Scheuchl https://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0484/

Getz Ice Shelf melt enhanced by freshwater discharge from beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet W. Wei, D. D. Blankenship, J. S. Greenbaum, N. Gourmelen, C. F. Dow, T. G. Richter, C. A. Greene, D. A. Young, S. Lee, W. S. Lee, and K. M. Assmann https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3695943

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Short summary
Getz Ice Shelf is the largest meltwater source from Antarctica of the Southern Ocean. This study compares the relative importance of the meltwater production of Getz from both ocean and subglacial sources. We show that basal melt rates are elevated where bathymetric troughs provide pathways for warm Circumpolar Deep Water to enter the Getz Ice Shelf cavity. In particular, we find that subshelf melting is enhanced where subglacially discharged fresh water flows across the grounding line.