Articles | Volume 15, issue 12
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5409-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5409-2021
Research article
 | 
07 Dec 2021
Research article |  | 07 Dec 2021

Generation and fate of basal meltwater during winter, western Greenland Ice Sheet

Joel Harper, Toby Meierbachtol, Neil Humphrey, Jun Saito, and Aidan Stansberry

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Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on tc-2021-179', Martin Lüthi, 21 Jul 2021
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Joel Harper, 25 Aug 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on tc-2021-179', Samuel Doyle, 05 Aug 2021

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (02 Sep 2021) by Adam Booth
AR by Joel Harper on behalf of the Authors (05 Sep 2021)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (08 Sep 2021) by Adam Booth
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (21 Sep 2021) by Adam Booth
RR by Samuel Doyle (28 Sep 2021)
RR by Martin Lüthi (01 Oct 2021)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (13 Oct 2021) by Adam Booth
AR by Joel Harper on behalf of the Authors (30 Oct 2021)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (08 Nov 2021) by Adam Booth
AR by Joel Harper on behalf of the Authors (10 Nov 2021)
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Short summary
We use surface and borehole measurements to investigate the generation and fate of basal meltwater in the ablation zone of western Greenland. The rate of basal meltwater generation at borehole study sites increases by up to 20 % over the winter period. Accommodation of all basal meltwater by expansion of isolated subglacial cavities is implausible. Other sinks for water do not likely balance basal meltwater generation, implying water evacuation through a connected drainage system in winter.