Articles | Volume 16, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-397-2022
© Author(s) 2022. 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-16-397-2022
© Author(s) 2022. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Feb 2022
Research article |
| 03 Feb 2022
| 03 Feb 2022
Weakening of the pinning point buttressing Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
Karen E. Alley
Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
Atsuhiro Muto
Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Martin Truffer
Geophysical Institute and Department of Physics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Ted A. Scambos
Earth Science and Observation Center, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Erin C. Pettit
College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
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Cited
41 citations as recorded by crossref.
- AMIGOS-3 multi-sensor stations and the climate, ice and ocean conditions at Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf during 2020–22 T. Scambos et al.
- A Framework for Characterizing 3-D Structures of Crevasses and Rifts Across Antarctic Ice Shelves A. Pang et al.
- Uncertain ground: impact of bed topography on Antarctic Ice Sheet projections J. Caillet et al.
- Shear-margin melting causes stronger transient ice discharge than ice-stream melting in idealized simulations J. Feldmann et al.
- The influence of subglacial lake discharge on Thwaites Glacier ice-shelf melting and grounding-line retreat N. Gourmelen et al.
- Topography reconstruction and evolution analysis of outlet glacier using data from unmanned aerial vehicles in Antarctica G. Qiao et al.
- Hysteresis of idealized, instability-prone outlet glaciers in response to pinning-point buttressing variation J. Feldmann et al.
- Thwaites Glacier and the bed beneath A. Mackintosh
- What Determines the Shape of a Pine‐Island‐Like Ice Shelf? Y. Nakayama et al.
- Rapid retreat of Thwaites Glacier in the pre-satellite era A. Graham et al.
- Human Versus Natural Influences on Climate and Biodiversity: The Carbon Dioxide Connection W. Davis
- Thwaites Glacier thins and retreats fastest where ice-shelf channels intersect its grounding zone A. Chartrand et al.
- Hard rocks and deep wetlands beneath Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica O. Zeising et al.
- DiluviumDEM: Enhanced accuracy in global coastal digital elevation models D. Dusseau et al.
- Suppressed basal melting in the eastern Thwaites Glacier grounding zone P. Davis et al.
- Antarctica in 2025: Drivers of deep uncertainty in projected ice loss H. Fricker et al.
- A history-matching analysis of the Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Interglacial – Part 1: Ice sheet evolution B. Lecavalier & L. Tarasov
- Glacimarine sediments from outer Drygalski Trough, sub-Antarctic South Georgia – evidence for extensive glaciation during the Last Glacial Maximum N. Lešić et al.
- Modelling the sensitivity of ice loss to calving front retreat rates in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica J. Barnes et al.
- Monitoring Earth’s climate variables with satellite laser altimetry L. Magruder et al.
- Rift propagation signals the last act of the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf despite low basal melt rates C. Wild et al.
- Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points D. Armstrong McKay et al.
- Widespread seawater intrusions beneath the grounded ice of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica E. Rignot et al.
- Rapid fragmentation of Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf D. Benn et al.
- Ice shelf calving due to shear stresses: observing the response of Brunt Ice Shelf and Halloween Crack to iceberg calving using ICESat-2 laser altimetry, satellite imagery, and ice flow models A. Morris et al.
- Basal Melting, Roughness and Structural Integrity of Ice Shelves R. Larter
- The role of near-terminus conditions in the ice-flow speed of Upernavik Isstrøm in northwest Greenland K. Voss et al.
- Antarctic grounding line delineation from the Italian Space Agency COSMO-SkyMed DInSAR data N. Ross et al.
- Climatology and surface impacts of atmospheric rivers on West Antarctica M. Maclennan et al.
- Passage and removal of the Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream, NW Laurentide Ice Sheet, recorded by the glacial and sea level history of southern Banks Island, Arctic Canada J. Vaughan et al.
- Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf cavity observations reveal multiyear sea ice dynamics and deepwater warming in Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica C. Wild et al.
- Ocean warming threatens the viability of 60% of Antarctic ice shelves C. Burgard et al.
- Holocene Rapid (Decades) Multi-Meter Marine Transgressions Attributable to Climatically Driven Antarctic Ice-Collapse Events: Is Another Collapse Imminent? R. Higgs
- On the Shallowing of Antarctic Low-Level Temperature Inversions Projected by CESM-LE under RCP8.5 M. Ding et al.
- Brief communication: Rapid acceleration of the Brunt Ice Shelf after calving of iceberg A-81 O. Marsh et al.
- Ocean variability beneath Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf driven by the Pine Island Bay Gyre strength T. Dotto et al.
- Limited Impact of Thwaites Ice Shelf on Future Ice Loss From Antarctica G. Gudmundsson et al.
- Propagating speedups during quiescence escalate to the 2020–2021 surge of Sít’ Kusá, southeast Alaska J. Liu et al.
- The stability of present-day Antarctic grounding lines – Part 1: No indication of marine ice sheet instability in the current geometry E. Hill et al.
- Synchronous retreat of Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers in response to external forcings in the presatellite era R. Clark et al.
- Coupled ice–ocean interactions during future retreat of West Antarctic ice streams in the Amundsen Sea sector D. Bett et al.
41 citations as recorded by crossref.
- AMIGOS-3 multi-sensor stations and the climate, ice and ocean conditions at Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf during 2020–22 T. Scambos et al.
- A Framework for Characterizing 3-D Structures of Crevasses and Rifts Across Antarctic Ice Shelves A. Pang et al.
- Uncertain ground: impact of bed topography on Antarctic Ice Sheet projections J. Caillet et al.
- Shear-margin melting causes stronger transient ice discharge than ice-stream melting in idealized simulations J. Feldmann et al.
- The influence of subglacial lake discharge on Thwaites Glacier ice-shelf melting and grounding-line retreat N. Gourmelen et al.
- Topography reconstruction and evolution analysis of outlet glacier using data from unmanned aerial vehicles in Antarctica G. Qiao et al.
- Hysteresis of idealized, instability-prone outlet glaciers in response to pinning-point buttressing variation J. Feldmann et al.
- Thwaites Glacier and the bed beneath A. Mackintosh
- What Determines the Shape of a Pine‐Island‐Like Ice Shelf? Y. Nakayama et al.
- Rapid retreat of Thwaites Glacier in the pre-satellite era A. Graham et al.
- Human Versus Natural Influences on Climate and Biodiversity: The Carbon Dioxide Connection W. Davis
- Thwaites Glacier thins and retreats fastest where ice-shelf channels intersect its grounding zone A. Chartrand et al.
- Hard rocks and deep wetlands beneath Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica O. Zeising et al.
- DiluviumDEM: Enhanced accuracy in global coastal digital elevation models D. Dusseau et al.
- Suppressed basal melting in the eastern Thwaites Glacier grounding zone P. Davis et al.
- Antarctica in 2025: Drivers of deep uncertainty in projected ice loss H. Fricker et al.
- A history-matching analysis of the Antarctic Ice Sheet since the Last Interglacial – Part 1: Ice sheet evolution B. Lecavalier & L. Tarasov
- Glacimarine sediments from outer Drygalski Trough, sub-Antarctic South Georgia – evidence for extensive glaciation during the Last Glacial Maximum N. Lešić et al.
- Modelling the sensitivity of ice loss to calving front retreat rates in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica J. Barnes et al.
- Monitoring Earth’s climate variables with satellite laser altimetry L. Magruder et al.
- Rift propagation signals the last act of the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf despite low basal melt rates C. Wild et al.
- Exceeding 1.5°C global warming could trigger multiple climate tipping points D. Armstrong McKay et al.
- Widespread seawater intrusions beneath the grounded ice of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica E. Rignot et al.
- Rapid fragmentation of Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf D. Benn et al.
- Ice shelf calving due to shear stresses: observing the response of Brunt Ice Shelf and Halloween Crack to iceberg calving using ICESat-2 laser altimetry, satellite imagery, and ice flow models A. Morris et al.
- Basal Melting, Roughness and Structural Integrity of Ice Shelves R. Larter
- The role of near-terminus conditions in the ice-flow speed of Upernavik Isstrøm in northwest Greenland K. Voss et al.
- Antarctic grounding line delineation from the Italian Space Agency COSMO-SkyMed DInSAR data N. Ross et al.
- Climatology and surface impacts of atmospheric rivers on West Antarctica M. Maclennan et al.
- Passage and removal of the Amundsen Gulf Ice Stream, NW Laurentide Ice Sheet, recorded by the glacial and sea level history of southern Banks Island, Arctic Canada J. Vaughan et al.
- Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf cavity observations reveal multiyear sea ice dynamics and deepwater warming in Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica C. Wild et al.
- Ocean warming threatens the viability of 60% of Antarctic ice shelves C. Burgard et al.
- Holocene Rapid (Decades) Multi-Meter Marine Transgressions Attributable to Climatically Driven Antarctic Ice-Collapse Events: Is Another Collapse Imminent? R. Higgs
- On the Shallowing of Antarctic Low-Level Temperature Inversions Projected by CESM-LE under RCP8.5 M. Ding et al.
- Brief communication: Rapid acceleration of the Brunt Ice Shelf after calving of iceberg A-81 O. Marsh et al.
- Ocean variability beneath Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf driven by the Pine Island Bay Gyre strength T. Dotto et al.
- Limited Impact of Thwaites Ice Shelf on Future Ice Loss From Antarctica G. Gudmundsson et al.
- Propagating speedups during quiescence escalate to the 2020–2021 surge of Sít’ Kusá, southeast Alaska J. Liu et al.
- The stability of present-day Antarctic grounding lines – Part 1: No indication of marine ice sheet instability in the current geometry E. Hill et al.
- Synchronous retreat of Thwaites and Pine Island glaciers in response to external forcings in the presatellite era R. Clark et al.
- Coupled ice–ocean interactions during future retreat of West Antarctic ice streams in the Amundsen Sea sector D. Bett et al.
Saved (final revised paper)
Discussed (final revised paper)
Latest update: 09 May 2026
Short summary
Thwaites Glacier has the potential to significantly raise Antarctica's contribution to global sea-level rise by the end of this century. Here, we use satellite measurements of surface elevation to show that its floating part is close to losing contact with an underwater ridge that currently acts to stabilize. We then use computer models of ice flow to simulate the predicted unpinning, which show that accelerated ice discharge into the ocean follows the breakup of the floating part.
Thwaites Glacier has the potential to significantly raise Antarctica's contribution to global...
