Articles | Volume 15, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4655-2021
© Author(s) 2021. 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-15-4655-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Oct 2021
Research article |
| 05 Oct 2021
| 05 Oct 2021
Did Holocene climate changes drive West Antarctic grounding line retreat and readvance?
Sarah U. Neuhaus
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz,
Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
Slawek M. Tulaczyk
Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz,
Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA
Nathan D. Stansell
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Jason J. Coenen
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Reed P. Scherer
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Jill A. Mikucki
Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee Knoxville,
Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
Ross D. Powell
Department of Geology and Environmental Geosciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA
Related authors
Sarah U. Neuhaus, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, and Carolyn Branecky Begeman
The Cryosphere, 13, 1785–1799, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1785-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1785-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Relatively few studies have been carried out on icebergs inside fjords, despite the fact that the majority of recent sea level rise has resulted from glaciers terminating in fjords. We examine the size and spatial distribution of icebergs in Columbia Fjord, Alaska, over a period of 8 months to determine their influence on fjord dynamics.
Brent C. Christner, Heather F. Lavender, Christina L. Davis, Erin E. Oliver, Sarah U. Neuhaus, Krista F. Myers, Birgit Hagedorn, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, Peter T. Doran, and William C. Stone
The Cryosphere, 12, 3653–3669, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Solar radiation that penetrates into the glacier heats the ice to produce nutrient-containing meltwater and provides light that fuels an ecosystem within the ice. Our analysis documents a near-surface photic zone in a glacier that functions as a liquid water oasis in the ice over half the annual cycle. Since microbial growth on glacier surfaces reduces the amount of solar radiation reflected, microbial processes at depths below the surface may also darken ice and accelerate meltwater production.
Tal Y. Shutkin, Bryan G. Mark, Nathan D. Stansell, Rolando Cruz Encarnación, Henry H. Brecher, Zhengyu Liu, Bidhyananda Yadav, and Forrest S. Schoessow
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3194, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3194, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Queshque Glacier, a tropical glacier located in central Peru, has lost about 22.5 million cubic meters of water since 2008. Despite a possible increase in recent snowfall, our research shows that ice loss has been caused by steadily warming temperatures. We also see that the formation of a new lake at the base of the glacier has sped up Queshque’s rate of retreat. We find that changes in glacier water storage are increasingly related to conditions in the Pacific Ocean during the austral summer.
Joseph A. Ruggiero, Reed P. Scherer, Joseph Mastro, Cesar G. Lopez, Marcus Angus, Evie Unger-Harquail, Olivia Quartz, Amy Leventer, and Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand
J. Micropalaeontol., 43, 323–336, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-323-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-323-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We quantify sea surface temperature (SST) in the past Southern Ocean using the diatom Fragilariopsis kerguelensis that displays variable population with SST. We explore the use of this relatively new proxy by applying it to sediment assemblages from the Sabrina Coast and Amundsen Sea. We find that Amundsen Sea and Sabrina Coast F. kerguelensis populations are different from each other. An understanding of F. kerguelensis dynamics may help us generate an SST proxy to apply to ancient sediments.
Heather Furlong and Reed Paul Scherer
J. Micropalaeontol., 43, 269–282, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-269-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-269-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Diatom assemblages are vital components of the Antarctic ecosystem and nutrient supply chain, and they are often utilized as paleoclimate proxies to better understand past climatic changes. We demonstrate enhanced diatom production and accumulation in the outer Amundsen Sea during a Mid-Pliocene interglacial that coincides with pulses of ice-rafted terrestrial debris, providing compelling evidence that iceberg calving seeds diatom productivity in the Southern Ocean.
Serena N. Dameron, R. Mark Leckie, David Harwood, Reed Scherer, and Peter-Noel Webb
J. Micropalaeontol., 43, 187–209, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-187-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/jm-43-187-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In 1977-79, the Ross Ice Shelf Project recovered ocean sediments ~ 450 km south of the present-day ice shelf calving front. Within these sediments are microfossils, which are used to recreate the history of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) and address how the ice sheet responded to past times of extreme warmth. The microfossils reveal the WAIS collapsed multiple times in the past 17 million years. These results inform predictions of future WAIS response to rising global temperatures.
Gavin Piccione, Terrence Blackburn, Paul Northrup, Slawek Tulaczyk, and Troy Rasbury
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1359, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1359, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Growth of microorganisms in the Southern Ocean is limited by low iron levels. Iron delivered from beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet is one agent that fertilizes these ecosystems, but it is unclear how this nutrient source changes through time. Here, we measured the age and chemistry of a rock that records the iron concentration of Antarctic basal water. We show that increased dissolution of iron from rocks below the ice sheet can substantially enhance iron discharge during cold climate periods.
Ricardo Garza-Girón and Slawek M. Tulaczyk
The Cryosphere, 18, 1207–1213, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1207-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1207-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
By analyzing temperature time series over more than 20 years, we have found a discrepancy between the 2 m temperature values reported by the ERA5 reanalysis and the automatic weather stations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica.
Hilary A. Dugan, Peter T. Doran, Denys Grombacher, Esben Auken, Thue Bording, Nikolaj Foged, Neil Foley, Jill Mikucki, Ross A. Virginia, and Slawek Tulaczyk
The Cryosphere, 16, 4977–4983, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4977-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4977-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, a deep groundwater system has been hypothesized to connect Don Juan Pond and Lake Vanda, both surface waterbodies that contain very high concentrations of salt. This is unusual, since permafrost in polar landscapes is thought to prevent subsurface hydrologic connectivity. We show results from an airborne geophysical survey that reveals widespread unfrozen brine in Wright Valley and points to the potential for deep valley-wide brine conduits.
Tun Jan Young, Carlos Martín, Poul Christoffersen, Dustin M. Schroeder, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, and Eliza J. Dawson
The Cryosphere, 15, 4117–4133, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4117-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4117-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
If the molecules that make up ice are oriented in specific ways, the ice becomes softer and enhances flow. We use radar to measure the orientation of ice molecules in the top 1400 m of the Western Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide. Our results match those from an ice core extracted 10 years ago and conclude that the ice flow has not changed direction for the last 6700 years. Our methods are straightforward and accurate and can be applied in places across ice sheets unsuitable for ice coring.
Krista F. Myers, Peter T. Doran, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, Neil T. Foley, Thue S. Bording, Esben Auken, Hilary A. Dugan, Jill A. Mikucki, Nikolaj Foged, Denys Grombacher, and Ross A. Virginia
The Cryosphere, 15, 3577–3593, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, has undergone hundreds of meters of change in recent geologic history. However, there is disagreement on when lake levels were higher and by how much. This study uses resistivity data to map the subsurface conditions (frozen versus unfrozen ground) to map ancient shorelines. Our models indicate that Lake Fryxell was up to 60 m higher just 1500 to 4000 years ago. This amount of lake level change shows how sensitive these systems are to small changes in temperature.
Slawek M. Tulaczyk and Neil T. Foley
The Cryosphere, 14, 4495–4506, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4495-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4495-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Much of what we know about materials hidden beneath glaciers and ice sheets on Earth has been interpreted using radar reflection from the ice base. A common assumption is that electrical conductivity of the sub-ice materials does not influence the reflection strength and that the latter is controlled only by permittivity, which depends on the fraction of water in these materials. Here we argue that sub-ice electrical conductivity should be generally considered when interpreting radar records.
Sarah U. Neuhaus, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, and Carolyn Branecky Begeman
The Cryosphere, 13, 1785–1799, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1785-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1785-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Relatively few studies have been carried out on icebergs inside fjords, despite the fact that the majority of recent sea level rise has resulted from glaciers terminating in fjords. We examine the size and spatial distribution of icebergs in Columbia Fjord, Alaska, over a period of 8 months to determine their influence on fjord dynamics.
Brent C. Christner, Heather F. Lavender, Christina L. Davis, Erin E. Oliver, Sarah U. Neuhaus, Krista F. Myers, Birgit Hagedorn, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, Peter T. Doran, and William C. Stone
The Cryosphere, 12, 3653–3669, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3653-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Solar radiation that penetrates into the glacier heats the ice to produce nutrient-containing meltwater and provides light that fuels an ecosystem within the ice. Our analysis documents a near-surface photic zone in a glacier that functions as a liquid water oasis in the ice over half the annual cycle. Since microbial growth on glacier surfaces reduces the amount of solar radiation reflected, microbial processes at depths below the surface may also darken ice and accelerate meltwater production.
Nancy A. N. Bertler, Howard Conway, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, Daniel B. Emanuelsson, Mai Winstrup, Paul T. Vallelonga, James E. Lee, Ed J. Brook, Jeffrey P. Severinghaus, Taylor J. Fudge, Elizabeth D. Keller, W. Troy Baisden, Richard C. A. Hindmarsh, Peter D. Neff, Thomas Blunier, Ross Edwards, Paul A. Mayewski, Sepp Kipfstuhl, Christo Buizert, Silvia Canessa, Ruzica Dadic, Helle A. Kjær, Andrei Kurbatov, Dongqi Zhang, Edwin D. Waddington, Giovanni Baccolo, Thomas Beers, Hannah J. Brightley, Lionel Carter, David Clemens-Sewall, Viorela G. Ciobanu, Barbara Delmonte, Lukas Eling, Aja Ellis, Shruthi Ganesh, Nicholas R. Golledge, Skylar Haines, Michael Handley, Robert L. Hawley, Chad M. Hogan, Katelyn M. Johnson, Elena Korotkikh, Daniel P. Lowry, Darcy Mandeno, Robert M. McKay, James A. Menking, Timothy R. Naish, Caroline Noerling, Agathe Ollive, Anaïs Orsi, Bernadette C. Proemse, Alexander R. Pyne, Rebecca L. Pyne, James Renwick, Reed P. Scherer, Stefanie Semper, Marius Simonsen, Sharon B. Sneed, Eric J. Steig, Andrea Tuohy, Abhijith Ulayottil Venugopal, Fernando Valero-Delgado, Janani Venkatesh, Feitang Wang, Shimeng Wang, Dominic A. Winski, V. Holly L. Winton, Arran Whiteford, Cunde Xiao, Jiao Yang, and Xin Zhang
Clim. Past, 14, 193–214, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-193-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-14-193-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Temperature and snow accumulation records from the annually dated Roosevelt Island Climate Evolution (RICE) ice core show that for the past 2 700 years, the eastern Ross Sea warmed, while the western Ross Sea showed no trend and West Antarctica cooled. From the 17th century onwards, this dipole relationship changed. Now all three regions show concurrent warming, with snow accumulation declining in West Antarctica and the eastern Ross Sea.
A. Damsgaard, D. L. Egholm, J. A. Piotrowski, S. Tulaczyk, N. K. Larsen, and C. F. Brædstrup
The Cryosphere, 9, 2183–2200, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2183-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-2183-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
This paper details a new algorithm for performing computational experiments of subglacial granular deformation. The numerical approach allows detailed studies of internal sediment and pore-water dynamics under shear. Feedbacks between sediment grains and pore water can cause rate-dependent strengthening, which additionally contributes to the plastic shear strength of the granular material. Hardening can stabilise patches of the subglacial beds with implications for landform development.
Related subject area
Discipline: Ice sheets | Subject: Antarctic
Changes in Antarctic surface conditions and potential for ice shelf hydrofracturing from 1850 to 2200
A reconstruction of the ice thickness of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet north of 70° S
Bathymetry-constrained impact of relative sea-level change on basal melting in Antarctica
Age–depth distribution in western Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, and Antarctic-wide comparisons of internal reflection horizons
Assessing the sensitivity of the Vanderford Glacier, East Antarctica, to basal melt and calving
A history-matching analysis of the Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Interglacial – Part 1: Ice sheet evolution
ISMIP6-based Antarctic projections to 2100: simulations with the BISICLES ice sheet model
Assessing the suitability of sites near Pine Island Glacier for subglacial bedrock drilling aimed at detecting Holocene retreat–readvance
Modelling GNSS-observed seasonal velocity changes of the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, using the Ice-sheet and Sea-level System Model (ISSM)
A fast and simplified subglacial hydrological model for the Antarctic Ice Sheet and outlet glaciers
Satellite data reveal details of glacial isostatic adjustment in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica
The impact of regional-scale upper mantle heterogeneity on glacial isostatic adjustment in West Antarctica
Thwaites Glacier thins and retreats fastest where ice-shelf channels intersect its grounding zone
Melt sensitivity of irreversible retreat of Pine Island Glacier
A model framework for atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange and the associated isotope effects at Dome Argus, Antarctica – Part 1: The diurnal changes
The long-term sea-level commitment from Antarctica
The influence of present-day regional surface mass balance uncertainties on the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
How well can satellite altimetry and firn models resolve Antarctic firn thickness variations?
Feedback mechanisms controlling Antarctic glacial-cycle dynamics simulated with a coupled ice sheet–solid Earth model
The effect of ice shelf rheology on shelf edge bending
Hysteresis of idealized, instability-prone outlet glaciers in response to pinning-point buttressing variation
A physics-based Antarctic melt detection technique: combining Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer 2, radiative-transfer modeling, and firn modeling
Brief communication: Precision measurement of the index of refraction of deep glacial ice at radio frequencies at Summit Station, Greenland
Widespread increase in discharge from west Antarctic Peninsula glaciers since 2018
Surface dynamics and history of the calving cycle of Astrolabe Glacier (Adélie Coast, Antarctica) derived from satellite imagery
Review article: Feature tracing in radio-echo sounding products of terrestrial ice sheets and planetary bodies
Current reversal leads to regime change in Amery Ice Shelf cavity in the twenty-first century
A facet based numerical model to retrieve ice sheet topography from Sentinel-3 altimetry
Weak relationship between remotely detected crevasses and inferred ice rheological parameters on Antarctic ice shelves
Speed-up, slowdown, and redirection of ice flow on neighbouring ice streams in the Pope, Smith and Kohler region of West Antarctica
Extensive palaeo-surfaces beneath the Evans–Rutford region of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet control modern and past ice flow
Towards the systematic reconnaissance of seismic signals from glaciers and ice sheets – Part 1: Event detection for cryoseismology
Towards the systematic reconnaissance of seismic signals from glaciers and ice sheets – Part 2: Unsupervised learning for source process characterization
Geometric amplification and suppression of ice-shelf basal melt in West Antarctica
Viscoelastic mechanics of tidally induced lake drainage in the Amery grounding zone
Alpine topography of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, Antarctica, mapped from ice sheet surface morphology
Impact of boundary conditions on the modeled thermal regime of the Antarctic ice sheet
Deep learning based automatic grounding line delineation in DInSAR interferograms
The staggered retreat of grounded ice in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM)
The effect of landfast sea ice buttressing on ice dynamic speedup in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctica
Meteoric water and glacial melt in the southeastern Amundsen Sea: a time series from 1994 to 2020
Evaporative controls on Antarctic precipitation: an ECHAM6 model study using innovative water tracer diagnostics
Disentangling the drivers of future Antarctic ice loss with a historically calibrated ice-sheet model
Insights into the vulnerability of Antarctic glaciers from the ISMIP6 ice sheet model ensemble and associated uncertainty
Oceanic gateways to Antarctic grounding lines – Impact of critical access depths on sub-shelf melt
Evaluation of four calving laws for Antarctic ice shelves
Englacial architecture of Lambert Glacier, East Antarctica
Mass changes of the northern Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet derived from repeat bi-static synthetic aperture radar acquisitions for the period 2013–2017
The evolution of future Antarctic surface melt using PISM-dEBM-simple
Characteristics and rarity of the strong 1940s westerly wind event over the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica
Nicolas C. Jourdain, Charles Amory, Christoph Kittel, and Gaël Durand
The Cryosphere, 19, 1641–1674, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1641-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1641-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
A mixed statistical–physical approach is used to reproduce the behaviour of a regional climate model. From that, we estimate the contribution of snowfall and melting at the surface of the Antarctic Ice Sheet to changes in global mean sea level. We also investigate the impact of surface melting in a warmer climate on the stability of the Antarctic ice shelves that provide back stress on the ice flow to the ocean.
Kaian Shahateet, Johannes J. Fürst, Francisco Navarro, Thorsten Seehaus, Daniel Farinotti, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere, 19, 1577–1597, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1577-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1577-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
In the present work, we provide a new ice thickness reconstruction of the Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet north of 70º S using inversion modeling. This model consists of two steps: the first uses basic assumptions of the rheology of the glacier, and the second uses mass conservation to improve the reconstruction where the assumptions made previously are expected to fail. Validation with independent data showed that our reconstruction improved compared to other reconstructions that are available.
Moritz Kreuzer, Torsten Albrecht, Lena Nicola, Ronja Reese, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere, 19, 1181–1203, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1181-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1181-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The study investigates how changing sea levels around Antarctica can potentially affect the melting of floating ice shelves. It utilizes numerical models for both the Antarctic Ice Sheet and the solid Earth, investigating features like troughs and sills that control the flow of ocean water onto the continental shelf. The research finds that compared to climatic changes, the effect of relative sea level on ice-shelf melting is small.
Steven Franke, Daniel Steinhage, Veit Helm, Alexandra M. Zuhr, Julien A. Bodart, Olaf Eisen, and Paul Bons
The Cryosphere, 19, 1153–1180, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1153-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1153-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The study presents internal reflection horizons (IRHs) over an area of 450 000 km² from western Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica, spanning 4.8–91 ka. Using radar and ice core data, nine IRHs were dated and correlated with volcanic events. The data enhance our understanding of the ice sheet's age–depth architecture, accumulation, and dynamics. The findings inform ice flow models and contribute to Antarctic-wide comparisons of IRHs, supporting efforts toward a 3D age–depth ice sheet model.
Lawrence A. Bird, Felicity S. McCormack, Johanna Beckmann, Richard S. Jones, and Andrew N. Mackintosh
The Cryosphere, 19, 955–973, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-955-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-955-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Vanderford Glacier is the fastest-retreating glacier in East Antarctica and may have important implications for future ice loss from the Aurora Subglacial Basin. Our ice sheet model simulations suggest that grounding line retreat is driven by sub-ice-shelf basal melting, in which warm ocean waters melt ice close to the grounding line. We show that current estimates of basal melt are likely too low, highlighting the need for improved estimates and direct measurements of basal melt in the region.
Benoit S. Lecavalier and Lev Tarasov
The Cryosphere, 19, 919–953, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-919-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-919-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present the evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) over the last 200 kyr by means of a history-matching analysis where an updated observational database constrained ~ 10 000 model simulations. During peak glaciation at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), the best-fitting sub-ensemble of AIS simulations reached an excess grounded ice volume relative to the present of 9.2 to 26.5 m equivalent sea level relative to the present. The LGM AIS volume can help resolve the LGM missing-ice problem.
James F. O'Neill, Tamsin L. Edwards, Daniel F. Martin, Courtney Shafer, Stephen L. Cornford, Hélène L. Seroussi, Sophie Nowicki, Mira Adhikari, and Lauren J. Gregoire
The Cryosphere, 19, 541–563, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-541-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-541-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We use an ice sheet model to simulate the Antarctic contribution to sea level over the 21st century under a range of future climates and varying how sensitive the ice sheet is to different processes. We find that ocean temperatures increase and more snow falls on the ice sheet under stronger warming scenarios. When the ice sheet is sensitive to ocean warming, ocean melt-driven loss exceeds snowfall-driven gains, meaning that the sea level contribution is greater with more climate warming.
Joanne S. Johnson, John Woodward, Ian Nesbitt, Kate Winter, Seth Campbell, Keir A. Nichols, Ryan A. Venturelli, Scott Braddock, Brent M. Goehring, Brenda Hall, Dylan H. Rood, and Greg Balco
The Cryosphere, 19, 303–324, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-303-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-303-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Determining where and when the Antarctic ice sheet was smaller than present requires recovery and exposure dating of subglacial bedrock. Here we use ice sheet model outputs and field data (geological and glaciological observations, bedrock samples, and ground-penetrating radar) to assess the suitability for subglacial drilling of sites in the Hudson Mountains, West Antarctica. We find that no sites are perfect, but two are feasible, with the most suitable being Winkie Nunatak (74.86°S, 99.77°W).
Francesca Baldacchino, Nicholas R. Golledge, Mathieu Morlighem, Huw Horgan, Alanna V. Alevropoulos-Borrill, Alena Malyarenko, Alexandra Gossart, Daniel P. Lowry, and Laurine van Haastrecht
The Cryosphere, 19, 107–127, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-107-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-107-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding how the Ross Ice Shelf flow is changing in a warming world is important for predicting ice sheet change. Field measurements show clear intra-annual variations in ice flow; however, it is unclear what mechanisms drive this variability. We show that local perturbations in basal melt can have a significant impact on ice flow speed, but a combination of forcings is likely driving the observed variability in ice flow.
Elise Kazmierczak, Thomas Gregov, Violaine Coulon, and Frank Pattyn
The Cryosphere, 18, 5887–5911, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5887-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5887-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We introduce a new fast model for water flow beneath the ice sheet capable of handling various hydrological and bed conditions in a unified way. Applying this model to Thwaites Glacier, we show that accounting for this water flow in ice sheet model projections has the potential to greatly increase the contribution to future sea level rise. We also demonstrate that the sensitivity of the ice sheet in response to external changes depends on the efficiency of the drainage and the bed type.
Matthias O. Willen, Bert Wouters, Taco Broerse, Eric Buchta, and Veit Helm
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3086, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3086, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet in the Amundsen Sea Embayment is likely in the near future. Vertical uplift of bedrock due to glacial isostatic adjustment stabilizes the ice sheet and may delay its collapse. So far, only spatially and temporally sparse GNSS measurements have been able to observe this bedrock motion. We have combined satellite data and quantified a region-wide bedrock motion that independently matches GNSS measurements. This can improve ice-sheet predictions.
Erica Margaret Lucas, Natalya Gomez, and Terry Wilson
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2957, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2957, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the effects of incorporating regional-scale lateral variability (~50–100 km) in upper mantle structure into models of Earth deformation and sea level change associated with ice mass changes in West Antarctica. Regional-scale variability in upper mantle structure is found to impact relative sea level and crustal rate predictions for modern (last ~25–125 years) and projected (next ~300 years) ice mass changes, especially in coastal regions that undergo rapid ice mass loss.
Allison M. Chartrand, Ian M. Howat, Ian R. Joughin, and Benjamin E. Smith
The Cryosphere, 18, 4971–4992, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4971-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses high-resolution remote-sensing data to show that shrinking of the West Antarctic Thwaites Glacier’s ice shelf (floating extension) is exacerbated by several sub-ice-shelf meltwater channels that form as the glacier transitions from full contact with the seafloor to fully floating. In mapping these channels, the position of the transition zone, and thinning rates of the Thwaites Glacier, this work elucidates important processes driving its rapid contribution to sea level rise.
Brad Reed, J. A. Mattias Green, Adrian Jenkins, and G. Hilmar Gudmundsson
The Cryosphere, 18, 4567–4587, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4567-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4567-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We use a numerical ice-flow model to simulate the response of a 1940s Pine Island Glacier to changes in melting beneath its ice shelf. A decadal period of warm forcing is sufficient to push the glacier into an unstable, irreversible retreat from its long-term position on a subglacial ridge to an upstream ice plain. This retreat can only be stopped when unrealistic cold forcing is applied. These results show that short warm anomalies can lead to quick and substantial increases in ice flux.
Tianming Ma, Zhuang Jiang, Minghu Ding, Pengzhen He, Yuansheng Li, Wenqian Zhang, and Lei Geng
The Cryosphere, 18, 4547–4565, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4547-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4547-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We constructed a box model to evaluate the isotope effects of atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange at Dome A, Antarctica. The results show clear and invisible diurnal changes in surface snow isotopes under summer and winter conditions, respectively. The model also predicts that the annual net effects of atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange would be overall enrichments in snow isotopes since the effects in summer appear to be greater than those in winter at the study site.
Ann Kristin Klose, Violaine Coulon, Frank Pattyn, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere, 18, 4463–4492, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4463-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4463-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We systematically assess the long-term sea-level response from Antarctica to warming projected over the next centuries, using two ice-sheet models. We show that this committed Antarctic sea-level contribution is substantially higher than the transient sea-level change projected for the coming decades. A low-emission scenario already poses considerable risk of multi-meter sea-level increase over the next millennia, while additional East Antarctic ice loss unfolds under the high-emission pathway.
Christian Wirths, Thomas F. Stocker, and Johannes C. R. Sutter
The Cryosphere, 18, 4435–4462, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4435-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4435-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the influence of several regional climate models on the Antarctic Ice Sheet when applied as forcing for the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM). Our study shows that the choice of regional climate model forcing results in uncertainties of around a tenth of those in future sea level rise projections and also affects the extent of grounding line retreat in West Antarctica.
Maria T. Kappelsberger, Martin Horwath, Eric Buchta, Matthias O. Willen, Ludwig Schröder, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Peter Kuipers Munneke, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 18, 4355–4378, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4355-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4355-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The interannual variations in the height of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) are mainly due to natural variations in snowfall. Precise knowledge of these variations is important for the detection of any long-term climatic trends in AIS surface elevation. We present a new product that spatially resolves these height variations over the period 1992–2017. The product combines the strengths of atmospheric modeling results and satellite altimetry measurements.
Torsten Albrecht, Meike Bagge, and Volker Klemann
The Cryosphere, 18, 4233–4255, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4233-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4233-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We performed coupled ice sheet–solid Earth simulations and discovered a positive (forebulge) feedback mechanism for advancing grounding lines, supporting a larger West Antarctic Ice Sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum. During deglaciation we found that the stabilizing glacial isostatic adjustment feedback dominates grounding-line retreat in the Ross Sea, with a weak Earth structure. This may have consequences for present and future ice sheet stability and potential rates of sea-level rise.
W. Roger Buck
The Cryosphere, 18, 4165–4176, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4165-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4165-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Standard theory predicts that the edge of an ice shelf should bend downward. Satellite observations show that the edges of many ice shelves bend upward. A new theory for ice shelf bending is developed that, for the first time, includes the kind of vertical variations in ice flow properties expected for ice shelves. Upward bending of shelf edges is predicted as long as the ice surface is very cold and the ice flow properties depend strongly on temperature.
Johannes Feldmann, Anders Levermann, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere, 18, 4011–4028, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4011-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4011-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Here we show in simplified simulations that the (ir)reversibility of the retreat of instability-prone, Antarctica-type glaciers can strongly depend on the depth of the bed depression they rest on. If it is sufficiently deep, then the destabilized glacier does not recover from its collapsed state. Our results suggest that glaciers resting on a wide and deep bed depression, such as Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier, are particularly susceptible to irreversible retreat.
Marissa E. Dattler, Brooke Medley, and C. Max Stevens
The Cryosphere, 18, 3613–3631, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3613-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3613-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We developed an algorithm based on combining models and satellite observations to identify the presence of surface melt on the Antarctic Ice Sheet. We find that this method works similarly to previous methods by assessing 13 sites and the Larsen C ice shelf. Unlike previous methods, this algorithm is based on physical parameters, and updates to this method could allow the meltwater present on the Antarctic Ice Sheet to be quantified instead of simply detected.
Christoph Welling and The RNO-G Collaboration
The Cryosphere, 18, 3433–3437, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We report on the measurement of the index of refraction in glacial ice at radio frequencies. We show that radio echoes from within the ice can be associated with specific features of the ice conductivity and use this to determine the wave velocity. This measurement is especially relevant for the Radio Neutrino Observatory Greenland (RNO-G), a neutrino detection experiment currently under construction at Summit Station, Greenland.
Benjamin J. Davison, Anna E. Hogg, Carlos Moffat, Michael P. Meredith, and Benjamin J. Wallis
The Cryosphere, 18, 3237–3251, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3237-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3237-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using a new dataset of ice motion, we observed glacier acceleration on the west coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. The speed-up began around January 2021, but some glaciers sped up earlier or later. Using a combination of ship-based ocean temperature observations and climate models, we show that the speed-up coincided with a period of unusually warm air and ocean temperatures in the region.
Floriane Provost, Dimitri Zigone, Emmanuel Le Meur, Jean-Philippe Malet, and Clément Hibert
The Cryosphere, 18, 3067–3079, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3067-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3067-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The recent calving of Astrolabe Glacier in November 2021 presents an opportunity to better understand the processes leading to ice fracturing. Optical-satellite imagery is used to retrieve the calving cycle of the glacier ice tongue and to measure the ice velocity and strain rates in order to document fracture evolution. We observed that the presence of sea ice for consecutive years has favoured the glacier extension but failed to inhibit the growth of fractures that accelerated in June 2021.
Hameed Moqadam and Olaf Eisen
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1674, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1674, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This is an overview on methodologies that have been applied to map the internal reflection horizons, or ice-layer boundaries, of ice sheets on earth and other planets. We briefly explain radar applications in glaciology and the methods which have been used and published. There are summaries of the published work of the last two decades. Finally, we conclude by introducing the gaps and opportunities for further advancement in this field, and present possible future directions.
Jing Jin, Antony J. Payne, and Christopher Y. S. Bull
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1287, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1287, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Amery Ice Shelf cavity is one of the largest cold cavities filled by relatively cold Dense Shelf Water. However, in this study, we show that warm intrusion of modified Circumpolar Deep Water flushes the Amery cavity, which changes it from a cold cavity to a warm cavity and leads to an abrupt increase in basal melt rate in the 2060s. The shift to the warm cavity is attributed to a freshening-driven current reversal in front of the ice shelf.
Jérémie Aublanc, François Boy, Franck Borde, and Pierre Féménias
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1323, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1323, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this study we developed an innovative algorithm to derive the ice sheet topography from Sentinel-3 altimetry measurements. The processing chain is named the “Altimeter data Modelling and Processing for Land Ice” (AMPLI). The performance improvement is substantial compared to the official data generated by the ESA ground segment. With AMPLI, we show that Sentinel-3 is able to estimate the Surface Elevation Change of the Antarctic ice sheet with a high level of agreement to ICESat-2.
Cristina Gerli, Sebastian Rosier, G. Hilmar Gudmundsson, and Sainan Sun
The Cryosphere, 18, 2677–2689, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2677-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2677-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Recent efforts have focused on using AI and satellite imagery to track crevasses for assessing ice shelf damage and informing ice flow models. Our study reveals a weak connection between these observed products and damage maps inferred from ice flow models. While there is some improvement in crevasse-dense regions, this association remains limited. Directly mapping ice damage from satellite observations may not significantly improve the representation of these processes within ice flow models.
Heather Louise Selley, Anna E. Hogg, Benjamin J. Davison, Pierre Dutrieux, and Thomas Slater
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1442, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1442, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We used satellite observations to measure recent changes in ice speed and flow direction in the Pope, Smith and Kohler Region of West Antarctica (2005–2022). We found substantial speed up on seven ice streams of up to 87 %. However, Kohler West Glacier has slowed by 10%, due to the redirection of ice flow into its rapidly thinning neighbour. This process of ‘ice piracy’ hasn’t previously been directly observed on this rapid timescale and may influence future ice shelf and sheet mass changes.
Charlotte M. Carter, Michael J. Bentley, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, Guy J. G. Paxman, Tom A. Jordan, Julien A. Bodart, Neil Ross, and Felipe Napoleoni
The Cryosphere, 18, 2277–2296, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2277-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2277-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We use radio-echo sounding data to investigate the presence of flat surfaces beneath the Evans–Rutford region in West Antarctica. These surfaces may be what remains of laterally continuous surfaces, formed before the inception of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and we assess two hypotheses for their formation. Tectonic structures in the region may have also had a control on the growth of the ice sheet by focusing ice flow into troughs adjoining these surfaces.
Rebecca B. Latto, Ross J. Turner, Anya M. Reading, and J. Paul Winberry
The Cryosphere, 18, 2061–2079, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2061-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2061-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The study of icequakes allows for investigation of many glacier processes that are unseen by typical reconnaissance methods. However, detection of such seismic signals is challenging due to low signal-to-noise levels and diverse source mechanisms. Here we present a novel algorithm that is optimized to detect signals from a glacier environment. We apply the algorithm to seismic data recorded in the 2010–2011 austral summer from the Whillans Ice Stream and evaluate the resulting event catalogue.
Rebecca B. Latto, Ross J. Turner, Anya M. Reading, Sue Cook, Bernd Kulessa, and J. Paul Winberry
The Cryosphere, 18, 2081–2101, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2081-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2081-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Seismic catalogues are potentially rich sources of information on glacier processes. In a companion study, we constructed an event catalogue for seismic data from the Whillans Ice Stream. Here, we provide a semi-automated workflow for consistent catalogue analysis using an unsupervised cluster analysis. We discuss the defining characteristics of identified signal types found in this catalogue and possible mechanisms for the underlying glacier processes and noise sources.
Jan De Rydt and Kaitlin Naughten
The Cryosphere, 18, 1863–1888, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1863-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1863-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is losing ice at an accelerating pace. This is largely due to the presence of warm ocean water around the periphery of the Antarctic continent, which melts the ice. It is generally assumed that the strength of this process is controlled by the temperature of the ocean. However, in this study we show that an equally important role is played by the changing geometry of the ice sheet, which affects the strength of the ocean currents and thereby the melt rates.
Hanwen Zhang, Richard F. Katz, and Laura A. Stevens
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2311.01249, https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2311.01249, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In Antarctica, supraglacial lakes are formed by melting near the grounding lines, where grounded ice sheets transition to floating ice shelves. We model the tidal flexure near the grounding lines and analyse its contribution to lake drainage through hydrofracturing. We show that tidal flexure and lake water pressure together control lake drainage in the Amery Ice Shelf, which indicates the importance of tidal stress to processes associated with hydrofracturing near the grounding lines.
Edmund J. Lea, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, and Michael J. Bentley
The Cryosphere, 18, 1733–1751, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1733-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1733-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We use the ice surface expression of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in East Antarctica to map the horizontal pattern of valleys and ridges in finer detail than possible from previous methods. In upland areas, valleys are spaced much less than 5 km apart, with consequences for the distribution of melting at the bed and hence the likelihood of ancient ice being preserved. Automated mapping techniques were tested alongside manual approaches, with a hybrid approach recommended for future work.
In-Woo Park, Emilia Kyung Jin, Mathieu Morlighem, and Kang-Kun Lee
The Cryosphere, 18, 1139–1155, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1139-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1139-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study conducted 3D thermodynamic ice sheet model experiments, and modeled temperatures were compared with 15 observed borehole temperature profiles. We found that using incompressibility of ice without sliding agrees well with observed temperature profiles in slow-flow regions, while incorporating sliding in fast-flow regions captures observed temperature profiles. Also, the choice of vertical velocity scheme has a greater impact on the shape of the modeled temperature profile.
Sindhu Ramanath Tarekere, Lukas Krieger, Dana Floricioiu, and Konrad Heidler
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-223, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-223, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Grounding lines are geophysical features that divide ice masses on the bedrock and floating ice shelves. Their accurate location is required for calculating the mass balance of ice sheets and glaciers in Antarctica and Greenland. Human experts still manually detect them in satellite-based interferometric radar images, which is inefficient given the growing volume of data. We have developed an artificial intelligence-based automatic detection algorithm to generate Antarctic-wide grounding lines.
Matthew A. Danielson and Philip J. Bart
The Cryosphere, 18, 1125–1138, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1125-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1125-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The post-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Ross Sea was more significant than for any other Antarctic sector. Here we combined the available dates of retreat with new mapping of sediment deposited by the ice sheet during overall retreat. Our work shows that the post-LGM retreat through the Ross Sea was not uniform. This uneven retreat can cause instability in the present-day Antarctic ice sheet configuration and lead to future runaway retreat.
Trystan Surawy-Stepney, Anna E. Hogg, Stephen L. Cornford, Benjamin J. Wallis, Benjamin J. Davison, Heather L. Selley, Ross A. W. Slater, Elise K. Lie, Livia Jakob, Andrew Ridout, Noel Gourmelen, Bryony I. D. Freer, Sally F. Wilson, and Andrew Shepherd
The Cryosphere, 18, 977–993, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-977-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-977-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we use satellite observations and an ice flow model to quantify the impact of sea ice buttressing on ice streams on the Antarctic Peninsula. The evacuation of 11-year-old landfast sea ice in the Larsen B embayment on the East Antarctic Peninsula in January 2022 was closely followed by major changes in the calving behaviour and acceleration (30 %) of the ocean-terminating glaciers. Our results show that sea ice buttressing had a negligible direct role in the observed dynamic changes.
Andrew N. Hennig, David A. Mucciarone, Stanley S. Jacobs, Richard A. Mortlock, and Robert B. Dunbar
The Cryosphere, 18, 791–818, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-791-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-791-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A total of 937 seawater paired oxygen isotope (δ18O)–salinity samples collected during seven cruises on the SE Amundsen Sea between 1994 and 2020 reveal a deep freshwater source with δ18O − 29.4±1.0‰, consistent with the signature of local ice shelf melt. Local mean meteoric water content – comprised primarily of glacial meltwater – increased between 1994 and 2020 but exhibited greater interannual variability than increasing trend.
Qinggang Gao, Louise C. Sime, Alison J. McLaren, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Emilie Capron, Rachael H. Rhodes, Hans Christian Steen-Larsen, Xiaoxu Shi, and Martin Werner
The Cryosphere, 18, 683–703, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-683-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-683-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Antarctic precipitation is a crucial component of the climate system. Its spatio-temporal variability impacts sea level changes and the interpretation of water isotope measurements in ice cores. To better understand its climatic drivers, we developed water tracers in an atmospheric model to identify moisture source conditions from which precipitation originates. We find that mid-latitude surface winds exert an important control on moisture availability for Antarctic precipitation.
Violaine Coulon, Ann Kristin Klose, Christoph Kittel, Tamsin Edwards, Fiona Turner, Ricarda Winkelmann, and Frank Pattyn
The Cryosphere, 18, 653–681, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-653-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-653-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We present new projections of the evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet until the end of the millennium, calibrated with observations. We show that the ocean will be the main trigger of future ice loss. As temperatures continue to rise, the atmosphere's role may shift from mitigating to amplifying Antarctic mass loss already by the end of the century. For high-emission scenarios, this may lead to substantial sea-level rise. Adopting sustainable practices would however reduce the rate of ice loss.
Hélène Seroussi, Vincent Verjans, Sophie Nowicki, Antony J. Payne, Heiko Goelzer, William H. Lipscomb, Ayako Abe-Ouchi, Cécile Agosta, Torsten Albrecht, Xylar Asay-Davis, Alice Barthel, Reinhard Calov, Richard Cullather, Christophe Dumas, Benjamin K. Galton-Fenzi, Rupert Gladstone, Nicholas R. Golledge, Jonathan M. Gregory, Ralf Greve, Tore Hattermann, Matthew J. Hoffman, Angelika Humbert, Philippe Huybrechts, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Thomas Kleiner, Eric Larour, Gunter R. Leguy, Daniel P. Lowry, Chistopher M. Little, Mathieu Morlighem, Frank Pattyn, Tyler Pelle, Stephen F. Price, Aurélien Quiquet, Ronja Reese, Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Andrew Shepherd, Erika Simon, Robin S. Smith, Fiammetta Straneo, Sainan Sun, Luke D. Trusel, Jonas Van Breedam, Peter Van Katwyk, Roderik S. W. van de Wal, Ricarda Winkelmann, Chen Zhao, Tong Zhang, and Thomas Zwinger
The Cryosphere, 17, 5197–5217, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5197-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5197-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Mass loss from Antarctica is a key contributor to sea level rise over the 21st century, and the associated uncertainty dominates sea level projections. We highlight here the Antarctic glaciers showing the largest changes and quantify the main sources of uncertainty in their future evolution using an ensemble of ice flow models. We show that on top of Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, Totten and Moscow University glaciers show rapid changes and a strong sensitivity to warmer ocean conditions.
Lena Nicola, Ronja Reese, Moritz Kreuzer, Torsten Albrecht, and Ricarda Winkelmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2583, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2583, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We identify potential oceanic gateways to Antarctic grounding lines based on high-resolution bathymetry data and examine the effect of critical access depths on basal melt rates. These gateways manifest the deepest topographic features that connect the deeper open ocean and the ice-shelf cavity. We detect 'prominent' oceanic gateways in some Antarctic regions and estimate an upper limit of melt rate changes in case all warm water masses gain access to the cavities.
Joel A. Wilner, Mathieu Morlighem, and Gong Cheng
The Cryosphere, 17, 4889–4901, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4889-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4889-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We use numerical modeling to study iceberg calving off of ice shelves in Antarctica. We examine four widely used mathematical descriptions of calving (
calving laws), under the assumption that Antarctic ice shelf front positions should be in steady state under the current climate forcing. We quantify how well each of these calving laws replicates the observed front positions. Our results suggest that the eigencalving and von Mises laws are most suitable for Antarctic ice shelves.
Rebecca J. Sanderson, Kate Winter, S. Louise Callard, Felipe Napoleoni, Neil Ross, Tom A. Jordan, and Robert G. Bingham
The Cryosphere, 17, 4853–4871, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4853-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4853-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-penetrating radar allows us to explore the internal structure of glaciers and ice sheets to constrain past and present ice-flow conditions. In this paper, we examine englacial layers within the Lambert Glacier in East Antarctica using a quantitative layer tracing tool. Analysis reveals that the ice flow here has been relatively stable, but evidence for former fast flow along a tributary suggests that changes have occurred in the past and could change again in the future.
Thorsten Seehaus, Christian Sommer, Thomas Dethinne, and Philipp Malz
The Cryosphere, 17, 4629–4644, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4629-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4629-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Existing mass budget estimates for the northern Antarctic Peninsula (>70° S) are affected by considerable limitations. We carried out the first region-wide analysis of geodetic mass balances throughout this region (coverage of 96.4 %) for the period 2013–2017 based on repeat pass bi-static TanDEM-X acquisitions. A total mass budget of −24.1±2.8 Gt/a is revealed. Imbalanced high ice discharge, particularly at former ice shelf tributaries, is the main driver of overall ice loss.
Julius Garbe, Maria Zeitz, Uta Krebs-Kanzow, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere, 17, 4571–4599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4571-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4571-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We adopt the novel surface module dEBM-simple in the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) to investigate the impact of atmospheric warming on Antarctic surface melt and long-term ice sheet dynamics. As an enhancement compared to traditional temperature-based melt schemes, the module accounts for changes in ice surface albedo and thus the melt–albedo feedback. Our results underscore the critical role of ice–atmosphere feedbacks in the future sea-level contribution of Antarctica on long timescales.
Gemma K. O'Connor, Paul R. Holland, Eric J. Steig, Pierre Dutrieux, and Gregory J. Hakim
The Cryosphere, 17, 4399–4420, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4399-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4399-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Glaciers in West Antarctica are rapidly melting, but the causes are unknown due to limited observations. A leading hypothesis is that an unusually large wind event in the 1940s initiated the ocean-driven melting. Using proxy reconstructions (e.g., using ice cores) and climate model simulations, we find that wind events similar to the 1940s event are relatively common on millennial timescales, implying that ocean variability or climate trends are also necessary to explain the start of ice loss.
Cited articles
Achberger, A. M., Christner, B. C., Michaud, A. B., Priscu, J. C., Skidmore,
M. L., Vick-Majors, T. J., Adkins, W., Anandakrishnan, S., Barbante, C.,
Barcheck, G., Beem, L., Behar, A., Beitch, M., Bolsey, R., Branecky, C.,
Carter, S., Christianson, K., Edwards, R., Fisher, A., Fricker, H., Foley,
N., Guthrie, B., Hodson, T., Jacobel, R., Kelley, S., Mankoff, K., McBryan,
E., Mikucki, J., Mitchell, A., Powell, R., Purcell, A., Sampson, D.,
Scherer, R., Sherve, J., Siegfried, M., and Tulaczyk, S.: Microbial community
structure of subglacial Lake Whillans, West Antarctica, Front. Microbiol.,
7, 1–13, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2016.01457, 2016.
Ackert, R.: Swinging gate or Saloon doors: Do we need a new model of Ross
Sea deglaciation?, in: Fifteenth West Antarctic Ice Sheet Meeting, 8–11 October 2008, Sterling, Virginia, 2008.
Adkins, J. F. and Schrag, D. P.: Reconstructing Last Glacial Maximum bottom
water salinities from deep-sea sediment pore fluid profiles, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 216, 109–123, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0012-821X(03)00502-8, 2003.
Anderson, J. B., Conway, H., Bart, P. J., Witus, A. E., Greenwood, S. L.,
McKay, R. M., Hall, B. L., Ackert, R. P., Licht, K., Jakobsson, M., and Stone, J. O.: Ross Sea paleo-ice sheet drainage and deglacial history during
and since the LGM, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 100, 31–54,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2013.08.020, 2014.
Anderson, J. B., Simkins, L. M., Bart, P. J., De Santis, L., Halberstadt, A.
R. W., Olivo, E., and Greenwood, S. L.: Seismic and geomorphic records of
antarctic ice sheet evolution in the ross sea and controlling factors in its
behaviour, Geol. Soc. Spec. Publ., 475, 223–240, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP475.5, 2019.
Bamber, J. L., Oppenheimer, M., Kopp, R. E., Aspinall, W. P., and Cooke, R. M.: Ice sheet contributions to future sea-level rise from structured expert
judgment, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 166, 11195–11200, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1817205116, 2019.
Baroni, C. and Hall, B. L.: A new Holocene relative sea-level curve for Terra Nova Bay, Victoria Land, Antarctica, J. Quatern. Sci., 19, 377–396,
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.825, 2004.
Barrett, P. J.: Seawater near the head of the Ross Ice Shelf, Nature, 256, 390–392, https://doi.org/10.1038/256390a0, 1975.
Bart, P. J. and Tulaczyk, S.: A significant acceleration of ice volume discharge preceded a major retreat of a West Antarctic paleo-ice stream,
Geology, 48, 313–317, https://doi.org/10.1130/G46916.1, 2020.
Bart, P. J., DeCesare, M., Rosenheim, B. E., Majewski, W., and McGlannan, A.:
A centuries-long delay between a paleo-ice-shelf collapse and grounding-line
retreat in the Whales Deep Basin, eastern Ross Sea, Antarctica, Sci. Rep., 8, 1–9, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-29911-8, 2018.
Begeman, C. B., Tulaczyk, S. M., Marsh, O. J., Mikucki, J. A., Stanton, T. P., Hodson, T. O., Siegfried, M. R., Powell, R. D., Christianson, K., and King, M. A.: Ocean Stratification and Low Melt Rates at the Ross Ice Shelf
Grounding Zone, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 123, 7438–7452,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2018JC013987, 2018.
Bentley, M. J., Ocofaigh, C., Anderson, J. B., Conway, H., Davies, B., Graham, A. G. C., Hillenbrand, C. D., Hodgson, D. A., Jamieson, S. S. R.,
Larter, R. D., Mackintosh, A., Smith, J. A., Verleyen, E., Ackert, R. P.,
Bart, P. J., Berg, S., Brunstein, D., Canals, M., Colhoun, E. A., Crosta,
X., Dickens, W. A., Domack, E., Dowdeswell, J. A., Dunbar, R., Ehrmann, W.,
Evans, J., Favier, V., Fink, D., Fogwill, C. J., Glasser, N. F., Gohl, K.,
Golledge, N. R., Goodwin, I., Gore, D. B., Greenwood, S. L., Hall, B. L., Hall, K., Hedding, D. W., Hein, A. S., Hocking, E. P., Jakobsson, M., Johnson, J. S., Jomelli, V., Jones, R. S., Klages, J. P., Kristoffersen, Y.,
Kuhn, G., Leventer, A., Licht, K., Lilly, K., Lindow, J., Livingstone, S.
J., Massé, G., McGlone, M. S., McKay, R. M., Melles, M., Miura, H.,
Mulvaney, R., Nel, W., Nitsche, F. O., O'Brien, P. E., Post, A. L., Roberts, S. J., Saunders, K. M., Selkirk, P. M., Simms, A. R., Spiegel, C., Stolldorf, T. D., Sugden, D. E., van der Putten, N., van Ommen, T., Verfaillie, D., Vyverman, W., Wagner, B., White, D. A., Witus, A. E., and Zwartz, D.: A community-based geological reconstruction of Antarctic Ice Sheet deglaciation since the Last Glacial Maximum, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 100, 1–9, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2014.06.025, 2014.
Bindschadler, R. A., Roberts, E. P., and Iken, A.: Age of Crary Ice Rise,
Antarctica, determined from temperature-depth profiles, Ann. Glaciol., 14,
13–16, 1990.
Boudreau, B. P.: The diffusive tortuosity of fine-grained unlithified sediments, Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 60, 3139–3142, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(96)00158-5, 1996.
Bradley, S. L., Hindmarsh, R. C. A., Whitehouse, P. L., Bentley, M. J., and
King, M. A.: Low post-glacial rebound rates in the Weddell Sea due to Late
Holocene ice-sheet readvance, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 413, 79–89,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.12.039, 2015.
Buizert, C., Cuffey, K. M., Severinghaus, J. P., Baggenstos, D., Fudge, T. J., Steig, E. J., Markle, B. R., Winstrup, M., Rhodes, R. H., Brook, E. J.,
Sowers, T. A., Clow, G. D., Cheng, H., Edwards, R. L., Sigl, M., McConnell,
J. R., and Taylor, K. C.: The WAIS Divide deep ice core WD2014 chronology
– Part 1: Methane synchronization (68–31 ka BP) and the gas age-ice
age difference, Clim. Past, 11, 153–173, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-11-153-2015, 2015.
Catania, G., Hulbe, C., Conway, H., Scambos, T. A., and Raymond, C. F.:
Variability in the mass flux of the Ross ice streams, West Antarctica, over
the last millennium, J. Glaciol., 58, 741–752, https://doi.org/10.3189/2012JoG11J219, 2012.
Catania, G. A., Conway, H., Raymond, C. F., and Scambos, T. A.: Surface
morphology and internal layer stratigraphy in the downstream end of Kamb Ice
Stream, West Antarctica, J. Glaciol., 51, 423–431,
https://doi.org/10.3189/172756505781829142, 2005.
Catania, G. A., Conway, H., Raymond, C. F., and Scambos, T. A.: Evidence for
floatation or near floatation in the mouth of Kamb Ice Stream, West Antarctica, prior to stagnation, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 111, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JF000355, 2006.
Christner, B. C., Priscu, J. C., Achberger, A. M., Barbante, C., Carter, S.
P., Christianson, K., Michaud, A. B., Mikucki, J. A., Mitchell, A. C., Skidmore, M. L., Vick-Majors, T. J., Adkins, W. P., Anandakrishnan, S.,
Anandakrishnan, S., Beem, L., Behar, A., Beitch, M., Bolsey, R., Branecky, C., Fisher, A., Foley, N., Mankoff, K. D., Sampson, D., Tulaczyk, S., Edwards, R., Kelley, S., Sherve, J., Fricker, H. A., Siegfried, S., Guthrie,
B., Hodson, T., Powell, R., Scherer, R., Horgan, H., Jacobel, R., McBryan,
E., and Purcell, A.: A microbial ecosystem beneath the West Antarctic ice
sheet, Nature, 512, 310–313, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13667, 2014.
Christoffersen, P., Tulaczyk, S., and Behar, A.: Basal ice sequences in
Antarctic ice stream: Exposure of past hydrologic conditions and a principal
mode of sediment transfer, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 115, 1–12,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001430, 2010.
Christoffersen, P., Bougamont, M., Carter, S. P., Fricker, H. A., and
Tulaczyk, S.: Significant groundwater contribution to Antarctic ice streams
hydrologic budget, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 2003–2010, 2014.
Church, J. A., Clark, P. U., Cazenave, A., Gregory, J. M., Jevrejeva, S.,
Levermann, A., Merrifield, M. A., Milne, G. A., Nerem, R. S., Nunn, P. D., Payne, A. J., Pfeffer, W. T., Stammer, D., and Unnikrishnan, A. S.: Sea Level Change, in: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 2013.
Clark, P. U., Dyke, A. S., Shakun, J. D., Carlson, A. E., Clark, J.,
Wohlfarth, B., Mitrovica, J. X., Hostetler, S. W., and McCabe, A. M.: The
Last Glacial Maximum, Science, 325, 710–714, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1172873, 2009.
Clarke, T. S., Liu, C., Lord, N. E., and Bentley, C. R.: Evidence for a
recently abandoned shear margin adjacent to ice stream B2, Antarctica, from
ice-penetrating radar measurements, J. Geophys. Res.-Solid, 105, 13409–13422, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000jb900037, 2000.
Collins, M., Knutti, R., Arblaster, J., Dufresne, J.-L., Fichefet, T.,
Friedlingstein, P., Gao, X., Gutowski, W. J., Johns, T., Krinner, G., Shongwe, M., Tebaldi, C., Weaver, A. J., and Wehner, M.: Long-term Climate Change: Projections, Com- mitments and Irreversibility, in: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, Contribution of Working Group I to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 2013.
Conway, H., Hall, B. L., Denton, G. H., Gades, A. M., and Waddington, E. D.:
Past and future grounding-line retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet,
Science, 286, 280–283, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.286.5438.280, 1999.
Cuffey, K. M.: Temperature Reconstruction at the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide, US Antarctic Program (USAP) Data Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.15784/600377, 2017.
Cuffey, K. M., Clow, G. D., Steig, E. J., Buizert, C., Fudge, T. J., Koutnik, M., Waddington, E. D., Alley, R. B., and Severinghaus, J. P.: Deglacial temperature history of West Antarctica, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 113, 14249–14254, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1609132113, 2016.
Cunningham, W. L., Leventer, A., Andrews, J. T., Jennings, A. E., and Licht,
K. J.: Late Pleistocene-Holocene marine conditions in the Ross Sea,
Antarctica: Evidence from the diatom record, Holocene, 9, 129–139,
https://doi.org/10.1191/095968399675624796, 1999.
Demaster, D. J., Dunbar, R. B., Gordon, L. I., Leventer, A. R., Morrison, J.
M., Nelson, D. M., Nittrouer, C. A., and Smith, W. O.: Cycling and accumulation of biogenic silica and organic matter in high-latitude
environments: the Ross Sea, Oceanography, 5, 146–153,
https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.1992.03, 1992.
Engelhardt, H.: Thermal regime and dynamics of the West Antarctic ice sheet,
Ann. Glaciol., 39, 85–92, 2004.
Engelhardt, H. and Kamb, B.: Vertical temperature profile of Ice Stream B,
Antarct. JUS, 28, 63–66, 1993.
Engelhardt, H., Humphrey, N., Kamb, B., and Fahnestock, M.: Physical
conditions at the base of a fast moving Antarctic ice stream, Science, 248, 57–59, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.248.4951.57, 1990.
Fisher, A. T., Mankoff, K. D., Tulaczyk, S. M., Tyler, S. W., and Foley, N.:
High geothermal heat flux measured below the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, Sci.
Adv., 1, e1500093, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1500093, 2015.
Fretwell, P., Pritchard, H. D., Vaughan, D. G., Bamber, J. L., Barrand, N.
E., Bell, R., Bianchi, C., Bingham, R. G., Blankenship, D. D., Casassa, G.,
Catania, G., Callens, D., Conway, H., Cook, A. J., Corr, H. F. J., Damaske,
D., Damm, V., Ferraccioli, F., Forsberg, R., Fujita, S., Gim, Y., Gogineni,
P., Griggs, J. A., Hindmarsh, R. C. A., Holmlund, P., Holt, J. W., Jacobel,
R. W., Jenkins, A., Jokat, W., Jordan, T., King, E. C., Kohler, J., Krabill,
W., Riger-Kusk, M., Langley, K. A., Leitchenkov, G., Leuschen, C., Luyendyk,
B. P., Matsuoka, K., Mouginot, J., Nitsche, F. O., Nogi, Y., Nost, O. A.,
Popov, S. V., Rignot, E., Rippin, D. M., Rivera, A., Roberts, J., Ross, N.,
Siegert, M. J., Smith, A. M., Steinhage, D., Studinger, M., Sun, B., Tinto,
B. K., Welch, B. C., Wilson, D., Young, D. A., Xiangbin, C., and Zirizzotti,
A.: Bedmap2: Improved ice bed, surface and thickness datasets for Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 7, 375–393, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-375-2013, 2013.
Fried, M. J., Hulbe, C. L., and Fahnestock, M. A.: Grounding-line dynamics and margin lakes, Ann. Glaciol., 55, 87–96, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014AoG66A216, 2014.
Frignani, M., Giglio, F., Langone, L., Ravaioli, M., and Mangini, A.: Late
Pleistocene-Holocene sedimentary fluxes of organic carbon and biogenic silica in the northwestern Ross Sea, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 27, 697–703, https://doi.org/10.3189/1998aog27-1-697-703, 1998.
Halberstadt, A. R. W., Simkins, L. M., Greenwood, S. L., and Anderson, J. B.:
Past ice-sheet behaviour: Retreat scenarios and changing controls in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 10, 1003–1020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1003-2016, 2016.
Hall, B. L., Hoelzel, A. R., Baroni, C., Denton, G. H., Le Boeuf, B. J.,
Overturf, B., and Töpf, A. L.: Holocene elephant seal distribution implies warmer-than-present climate in the Ross Sea, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 103, 10213–10217, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0604002103, 2006.
Hall, B. L., Denton, G. H., Stone, J. O., and Conway, H.: History of the
grounded ice sheet in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica during the Last
Glacial Maximum and the last termination, Geol. Soc. Lond. Spec. Publ., 381, 167–181, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP381.5, 2013.
Harwood, D. M., Scherer, R. P., and Webb, P. N.: Multiple Miocene marine
productivity events in West Antarctica as recorded in upper Miocene sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf (Site J-9), Mar. Micropaleontol., 15, 1–9, https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8398(89)90006-6, 1989.
Hodson, T. O., Powell, R. D., Brachfeld, S. A., Tulaczyk, S., and Scherer, R.
P.: Physical processes in Subglacial Lake Whillans, West Antarctica:
Inferences from sediment cores, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 444, 56–63,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.03.036, 2016.
Horgan, H. J., Alley, R. B., Christianson, K., Jacobel, R. W., Anandakrishnan, S., Muto, A., Beem, L. H., and Siegfried, M. R.: Estuaries
beneath ice sheets, Geology, 41, 1159–1162, https://doi.org/10.1130/G34654.1, 2013a.
Horgan, H. J., Christianson, K., Jacobel, R. W., Anandakrishnan, S., and Alley, R. B.: Sediment deposition at the modern grounding zone of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 3934–3939,
https://doi.org/10.1002/grl.50712, 2013b.
Horgan, H. J., Hulbe, C., Alley, R. B., Anandakrishnan, S., Goodsell, B.,
Taylor-Offord, S., and Vaughan, M. J.: Poststagnation Retreat of Kamb Ice
Stream's Grounding Zone, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, 9815–9822,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074986, 2017.
Hulbe, C. and Fahnestock, M.: Century-scale discharge stagnation and reactivation of the Ross ice streams, West Antarctica, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 112, F03S27, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JF000603, 2007.
Jones, R. S., Mackintosh, A. N., Norton, K. P., Golledge, N. R., Fogwill, C.
J., Kubik, P. W., Christl, M., and Greenwood, S. L.: Rapid Holocene thinning
of an East Antarctic outlet glacier driven by marine ice sheet instability,
Nat. Commun., 6, 8910, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms9910, 2015.
Joughin, I. and Tulaczyk, S.: Positive mass balance of the Ross Ice Streams,
West Antarctica, Science, 295, 476–480, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1066875, 2002.
Kamb, B.: Basal zone of the West Antarctic ice streams and its role in lubrication of their rapid motion, in: The West Antarctic Ice Sheet: Behavior and Environment, Antarct. Res. Ser. 77, edited by: Alley, R. B. and Bindschadler, R. A., American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, USA, 157–199, 2001.
Kellogg, T. B. and Kellogg, D. E.: Pleistocene sediments beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, Nature, 293, 130–133, https://doi.org/10.1038/293130a0, 1981.
Kingslake, J., Scherer, R. P., Albrecht, T., Coenen, J., Powell, R. D., Reese, R., Stansell, N. D., Tulaczyk, S., Wearing, M. G., and Whitehouse, P.
L.: Extensive retreat and re-advance of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet during
the Holocene, Nature, 558, 430–434, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0208-x, 2018.
Lamb, A. L., Wilson, G. P., and Leng, M. J.: A review of coastal palaeoclimate and relative sea-level reconstructions using δ13C and
Lanoil, B., Skidmore, M., Priscu, J. C., Han, S., Foo, W., Vogel, S. W.,
Tulaczyk, S., and Engelhardt, H.: Bacteria beneath the West Antarctic Ice
Sheet, Environ. Microbiol., 11, 609–615, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1462-2920.2008.01831.x, 2009.
Lee, J. I., McKay, R. M., Golledge, N. R., Yoon, H. I., Yoo, K. C., Kim, H. J., and Hong, J. K.: Widespread persistence of expanded East Antarctic
glaciers in the southwest Ross Sea during the last deglaciation, Geology, 45, 403–406, https://doi.org/10.1130/G38715.1, 2017.
Li, Y.-H. and Gregory, S.: Diffusion of ions in sea water and in deep-sea
sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Ac., 38, 703–714, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(74)90145-8, 1974.
Licht, K. J., Jennings, A. E., Andrews, J. T., and Williams, K. M.:
Chronology of late Wisconsin ice retreat from the western Ross Sea, Antarctica, Geology, 24, 223–226,
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1996)024<0223:COLWIR>2.3.CO;2, 1996.
Lowry, D. P., Golledge, N. R., Bertler, N. A. N., Jones, R. S., and McKay, R.: Deglacial grounding-line retreat in the Ross Embayment, Antarctica,
controlled by ocean and atmosphere forcing, Sci. Adv., 5, eaav8754, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aav8754, 2019.
Marsh, O. J., Fricker, H. A., Siegfried, M. R., and Christianson, K.: High
basal melt rates initiate a channel at the grounding line of Ross Ice Shelf,
Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 250–255, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL066612, 2016.
Matsuoka, K., Hindmarsh, R. C. A., Moholdt, G., Bentley, M. J., Pritchard, H. D., Brown, J., Conway, H., Drews, R., Durand, G., Goldberg, D., Hattermann, T., Kingslake, J., Lenaerts, J. T. M., Martín, C., Mulvaney, R., Nicholls, K. W., Pattyn, F., Ross, N., Scambos, T., and Whitehouse, P. L.: Antarctic ice rises and rumples: Their properties and significance for ice-sheet dynamics and evolution, Earth-Sci. Rev., 150, 724–745, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.09.004, 2015.
McKay, R., Golledge, N. R., Maas, S., Naish, T., Levy, R., Dunbar, G., and
Kuhn, G.: Antarctic marine ice-sheet retreat in the Ross Sea during the early Holocene, Geology, 44, 7–10, https://doi.org/10.1130/G37315.1, 2016.
Michaud, A. B., Skidmore, M. L., Mitchell, A. C., Vick-Majors, T. J., Barbante, C., Turetta, C., Van Gelder, W., and Priscu, J. C.: Solute sources
and geochemical processes in Subglacial Lake Whillans, West Antarctica,
Geology, 44, 347–350, https://doi.org/10.1130/G37639.1, 2016a.
Michaud, A. B., Skidmore, M. L., Mitchell, A. C., Vick-Majors, T. J., Barbante, C., Turetta, C., VanGelder, W., and Priscu, J. C.: Supplemental material: Solute sources and geochemical processes in Subglacial Lake Whillans, West Antarctica, Geological Society of America, https://doi.org/10.1130/2016110, 2016b.
Montross, S., Skidmore, M., Christner, B., Samyn, D., Tison, J. L., Lorrain,
R., Doyle, S., and Fitzsimons, S.: Debris-Rich Basal Ice as a Microbial Habitat, Taylor Glacier, Antarctica, Geomicrobiol. J., 31, 76–81,
https://doi.org/10.1080/01490451.2013.811316, 2014.
Müller, P. J.: C N ratios in Pacific deep-sea sediments: Effect of
inorganic ammonium and organic nitrogen compounds sorbed by clays, Geochim.
Cosmochim. Ac., 41, 765–776, https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(77)90047-3, 1977.
Prothro, L. O., Majewski, W., Yokoyama, Y., Simkins, L. M., Anderson, J. B.,
Yamane, M., Miyairi, Y., and Ohkouchi, N.: Timing and pathways of East
Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat, Quaternary Sci. Rev., 230, 106166,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2020.106166, 2020.
Purcell, A. M., Mikucki, J. A., Achberger, A. M., Alekhina, I. A., Barbante,
C., Christner, B. C., Ghosh, D., Michaud, A. B., Mitchell, A. C., Priscu, J.
C., Scherer, R., Skidmore, M. L., Vick-Majors, T. J., Adkins, W. P.,
Anandakrishnan, S., Barcheck, G., Beem, L., Behar, A., Beitch, M., Bolsey, R., Branecky, C., Carter, S., Christianson, K., Edwards, R., Fisher, A., Fricker, H., Foley, N., Guthrie, B., Hodson, T., Jacobel, R., Kelley, S.,
Mankoff, K., McBryan, E., Powell, R., Sampson, D., Severinghaus, J., Sherve,
J., Siegfried, M., and Tulaczyk, S.: Microbial sulfur transformations in
sediments from Subglacial Lake Whillans, Front. Microbiol., 5, 1–16,
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2014.00594, 2014.
Redfield, A. C.: The biological control of chemical factors in the environment, Am. Sci., 46, 205–221, 1958.
Retzlaff, R. and Bentley, C. R.: Timing of stagnation of ice stream C, West
Antarctica, from short- pulse radar studies of buried surface crevasses, J.
Glaciol., 39, 553–561, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022143000016440, 1993.
Scherer, R. P., Aldahan, A., Tulaczyk, S., Possnert, G., Engelhardt, H., and
Kamb, B.: Pleistocene collapse of the West Antarctic ice sheet, Science, 281, 82–85, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.281.5373.82, 1998.
Simkins, L. M., Greenwood, S. L., and Anderson, J. B.: Diagnosing ice sheet
grounding line stability from landform morphology, The Cryosphere, 12,
2707–2726, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2707-2018, 2018.
Smith, J. A., Graham, A. G. C., Post, A. L., Hillenbrand, C. D., Bart, P. J.,
and Powell, R. D.: The marine geological imprint of Antarctic ice shelves,
Nat. Commun., 10, 5635, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-13496-5, 2019.
Spector, P., Stone, J., Cowdery, S. G., Hall, B., Conway, H., and Bromley,
G.: Rapid early-Holocene deglaciation in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, Geophys.
Res. Lett., 44, 7817–7825, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL074216, 2017.
Still, H., Campbell, A., and Hulbe, C.: Mechanical analysis of pinning points
in the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 60, 32–41,
https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2018.31, 2019.
Stuiver, M. and Polach, H. A.: Discussion Reporting of 14C Data,
Radiocarbon, 19, 355–363, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033822200003672, 1977.
Tinto, K. J., Padman, L., Siddoway, C. S., Springer, S. R., Fricker, H. A.,
Das, I., Caratori Tontini, F., Porter, D. F., Frearson, N. P., Howard, S.
L., Siegfried, M. R., Mosbeux, C., Becker, M. K., Bertinato, C., Boghosian,
A., Brady, N., Burton, B. L., Chu, W., Cordero, S. I., Dhakal, T., Dong, L.,
Gustafson, C. D., Keeshin, S., Locke, C., Lockett, A., O'Brien, G., Spergel,
J. J., Starke, S. E., Tankersley, M., Wearing, M. G., and Bell, R. E.: Ross
Ice Shelf response to climate driven by the tectonic imprint on seafloor
bathymetry, Nat. Geosci., 12, 441–449, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0370-2, 2019.
Tranter, M.: Microbes eat rock under ice, Nature, 512, 256–257,
https://doi.org/10.1038/512256a, 2014.
Tulaczyk, S., Kamb, B., and Engelhardt, H. F.: Estimates of effective stress
beneath a modern West Antarctic ice stream from till preconsolidation and void ratio, Boreas, 30, 101–114, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1502-3885.2001.tb01216.x,
2001.
Tulaczyk, S., Mikucki, J. A., Siegfried, M. R., Priscu, J. C., Barcheck, C.
G., Beem, L. H., Behar, A., Burnett, J., Christner, B. C., Fisher, A. T.,
Fricker, H. A., Mankoff, K. D., Powell, R. D., Rack, F., Sampson, D., Scherer, R. P., and Schwartz, S. Y.: WISSARD at Subglacial Lake Whillans,
West Antarctica: scientific operations and initial observations, Ann. Glaciol., 55, 51–58, https://doi.org/10.3189/2014aog65a009, 2014.
Turcotte, D. and Schubert, G.: Geodynamics, 3rd Edn., Cambridge University
Press, Cambridge, 2014.
Turner, J. T.: Zooplankton fecal pellets, marine snow, phytodetritus and the
ocean's biological pump, Prog. Oceanogr., 130, 205–248,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pocean.2014.08.005, 2015.
Vasskog, K., Langebroek, P. M., Andrews, J. T., Nilsen, J. E. Ø., and Nesje, A.: The Greenland Ice Sheet during the last glacial cycle: Current
ice loss and contribution to sea-level rise from a palaeoclimatic perspective, Earth-Sci. Rev., 150, 45–67, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.07.006, 2015.
Venturelli, R. A., Siegfried, M. R., Roush, K. A., Li, W., Burnett, J.,
Zook, R., Fricker, H. A., Priscu, J. C., Leventer, A., and Rosenheim, B. E.:
Mid-Holocene Grounding Line Retreat and Readvance at Whillans Ice Stream,
West Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2020GL088476, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088476, 2020.
Vick-Majors, T. J., Michaud, A. B., Skidmore, M. L., Turetta, C., Barbante,
C., Christner, B. C., Dore, J. E., Christianson, K., Mitchell, A. C., Achberger, A. M., Mikucki, J. A., and Priscu, J. C.: Biogeochemical Connectivity Between Freshwater Ecosystems beneath the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and the Sub-Ice Marine Environment, Global Biogeochem. Cy., 34,
e2019GB006446, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GB006446, 2020.
Vogel, S. W.: The basal regime of the West-Antarctic ice sheet interaction of
subglacial geology with ice dynamics, PhD dissertation, University of California, Santa Cruz, 137 pp., 2004.
Vogel, S. W., Tulaczyk, S., Kamb, B., Engelhardt, H., Carsey, F. D., Behar,
A. E., Lane, A. L., and Joughin, I.: Subglacial conditions during and after
stoppage of an Antarctic Ice Stream: Is reactivation imminent?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, 1–4, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005GL022563, 2005.
Waddington, E. D., Conway, H., Steig, E. J., Alley, R. B., Brook, E. J.,
Taylor, K. C., and White, J. W. C.: Decoding the dipstick: Thickness of Siple
Dome, West Antarctica, at the Last Glacial Maximum, Geology, 33, 281–284, https://doi.org/10.1130/G21165.1, 2005.
Wang, J. H.: Self-Diffusion and Structure of Liquid Water. I. Measurement of
Self-Diffusion of Liquid Water with Deuterium as Tracer, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 73, 510–513, https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01146a002, 1951a.
Wang, J. H.: Self-diffusion and Structure of Liquid Water. II. Measurement
of Self-diffusion of Liquid Water with 18O as Tracer, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 73, 4181–4183, https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01153a039, 1951b.
Weertman, J.: Stability of the junction of an ice sheet and an ice shelf, J.
Glaciol., 13, 3–11, 1974.
Short summary
We estimate the timing of post-LGM grounding line retreat and readvance in the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica. Our analyses indicate that the grounding line retreated over our field sites within the past 5000 years (coinciding with a warming climate) and readvanced roughly 1000 years ago (coinciding with a cooling climate). Based on these results, we propose that the Siple Coast grounding line motions in the middle to late Holocene were driven by relatively modest changes in regional climate.
We estimate the timing of post-LGM grounding line retreat and readvance in the Ross Sea sector...
