Articles | Volume 15, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-663-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-663-2021
Research article
 | 
11 Feb 2021
Research article |  | 11 Feb 2021

Recent acceleration of Denman Glacier (1972–2017), East Antarctica, driven by grounding line retreat and changes in ice tongue configuration

Bertie W. J. Miles, Jim R. Jordan, Chris R. Stokes, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, G. Hilmar Gudmundsson, and Adrian Jenkins

Related authors

Slowdown of Shirase Glacier, East Antarctica, caused by strengthening alongshore winds
Bertie W. J. Miles, Chris R. Stokes, Adrian Jenkins, Jim R. Jordan, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, and G. Hilmar Gudmundsson
The Cryosphere, 17, 445–456, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-445-2023,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-445-2023, 2023
Short summary
Velocity increases at Cook Glacier, East Antarctica, linked to ice shelf loss and a subglacial flood event
Bertie W. J. Miles, Chris R. Stokes, and Stewart S. R. Jamieson
The Cryosphere, 12, 3123–3136, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3123-2018,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3123-2018, 2018
Short summary
Simultaneous disintegration of outlet glaciers in Porpoise Bay (Wilkes Land), East Antarctica, driven by sea ice break-up
Bertie W. J. Miles, Chris R. Stokes, and Stewart S. R. Jamieson
The Cryosphere, 11, 427–442, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-427-2017,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-427-2017, 2017
Short summary

Related subject area

Discipline: Ice sheets | Subject: Antarctic
Melt sensitivity of irreversible retreat of Pine Island Glacier
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
A model framework for atmosphere–snow water vapor exchange and the associated isotope effects at Dome Argus, Antarctica – Part 1: The diurnal changes
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
The long-term sea-level commitment from Antarctica
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
The influence of present-day regional surface mass balance uncertainties on the future evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
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
How well can satellite altimetry and firn models resolve Antarctic firn thickness variations?
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

Cited articles

Aitken, A. R. A., Roberts, J. L., van Ommen, T. D., Young, D. A., Golledge, N. R., Greenbaum, J. S., Blankenship, D. D., and Siegert, M. J.: Repeated large-scale retreat and advance of Totten Glacier indicated by inland bed erosion, Nature, 533, 385–389, 2016. 
Arthur, J. F., Stokes, C. R., Jamieson, S. S. R., Carr, J. R., and Leeson, A. A.: Distribution and seasonal evolution of supraglacial lakes on Shackleton Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 14, 4103–4120, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4103-2020, 2020. 
Brancato, V., Rignot, E., Milillo, P., Morlighem, M., Mouginot, J., An, L., Scheuchl, B., Jeong, S., Rizzoli, P., Bueso Bello, J. L., and Prats-Iraola, P.: Grounding line retreat of Denman Glacier, East Antarctica, measured with COSMO-SkyMed radar interferometry data, Geophys. Res. Lett., 47, e2019GL086291, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL086291, 2020. 
Burke, K. D., Williams, J. W., Chandler, M. A., Haywood, A. M., Lunt, D. J., and Otto-Bliesner, B. L.: Pliocene and Eocene provide best analogs for near-future climates, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 115, 13288–13293, 2018. 
Cassin, J. and Wilkes, C.: United States Exploring Expedition: During the Years 1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, Under the Command of Charles Wilkes, USN. Mammalogy and Ornithology, JB Lippincott & Company, Philadelphia, 1858. 
Download
Short summary
We provide a historical overview of changes in Denman Glacier's flow speed, structure and calving events since the 1960s. Based on these observations, we perform a series of numerical modelling experiments to determine the likely cause of Denman's acceleration since the 1970s. We show that grounding line retreat, ice shelf thinning and the detachment of Denman's ice tongue from a pinning point are the most likely causes of the observed acceleration.