Articles | Volume 18, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1709-2024
© Author(s) 2024. 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-18-1709-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Triggers of the 2022 Larsen B multi-year landfast sea ice breakout and initial glacier response
Naomi E. Ochwat
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Earth Science Observation Center (ESOC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Department of Geology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Ted A. Scambos
Earth Science Observation Center (ESOC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Alison F. Banwell
Earth Science Observation Center (ESOC), Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Robert S. Anderson
Department of Geology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Michelle L. Maclennan
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
Ghislain Picard
Institut des Géosciences de l'Environnement (IGE), Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, UMR 5001, Grenoble, France
Julia A. Shates
Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, USA
Sebastian Marinsek
Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Liliana Margonari
Instituto Antártico Argentino, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Departamento de Geología, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Martin Truffer
Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Department of Physics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
Erin C. Pettit
College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA
Related authors
Naomi E. Ochwat, Shawn J. Marshall, Brian J. Moorman, Alison S. Criscitiello, and Luke Copland
The Cryosphere, 15, 2021–2040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In May 2018 we drilled into Kaskawulsh Glacier to study how it is being affected by climate warming and used models to investigate the evolution of the firn since the 1960s. We found that the accumulation zone has experienced increased melting that has refrozen as ice layers and has formed a perennial firn aquifer. These results better inform climate-induced changes on northern glaciers and variables to take into account when estimating glacier mass change using remote-sensing methods.
Adrien Ooms, Mathieu Casado, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Maria Hörhold, Andrea Spolaor, Rita Traversi, Joel Savarino, Patrick Ginot, Pete Akers, Birthe Twarloh, and Valérie Masson-Delmotte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3259, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
This work presents a new approach to the estimation of accumulation rates at Concordia Station, East-Antarctica, for the last 20 years, from a new data set of chemical tracers and snow micro-scale properties measured in a snow trench. Multi-annual and meter to decameter scale variability of accumulation rates are compared again in-situ measurements of surface laser scanner and stake farm, with very good agreement. This further constrains SMB estimation for Antarctica at high temporal resolution.
Alberto C. Naveira Garabato, Carl P. Spingys, Andrew J. Lucas, Tiago S. Dotto, Christian T. Wild, Scott W. Tyler, Ted A. Scambos, Christopher B. Kratt, Ethan F. Williams, Mariona Claret, Hannah E. Glover, Meagan E. Wengrove, Madison M. Smith, Michael G. Baker, Giuseppe Marra, Max Tamussino, Zitong Feng, David Lloyd, Liam Taylor, Mikael Mazur, Maria-Daphne Mangriotis, Aaron Micallef, Jennifer Ward Neale, Oleg A. Godin, Matthew H. Alford, Emma P. M. Gregory, Michael A. Clare, Angel Ruiz Angulo, Kathryn L. Gunn, Ben I. Moat, Isobel A. Yeo, Alessandro Silvano, Arthur Hartog, and Mohammad Belal
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3624, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3624, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
Short summary
Short summary
Distributed optical fibre sensing (DOFS) is a technology that enables continuous, real-time measurements of environmental parameters along a fibre optic cable. Here, we review the recently emerged applications of DOFS in physical oceanography, and offer a perspective on the technology’s potential for future growth in the field.
Titouan Tcheng, Elise Fourré, Christophe Leroy-Dos-Santos, Frédéric Parrenin, Emmanuel Le Meur, Frédéric Prié, Olivier Jossoud, Roxanne Jacob, Bénédicte Minster, Olivier Magand, Cécile Agosta, Niels Dutrievoz, Vincent Favier, Léa Baubant, Coralie Lassalle-Bernard, Mathieu Casado, Martin Werner, Alexandre Cauquoin, Laurent Arnaud, Bruno Jourdain, Ghislain Picard, Marie Bouchet, and Amaëlle Landais
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2863, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-2863, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Studying Antarctic ice cores is crucial to assess past climate changes, as they hold historical climate data. This study examines multiple ice cores from three sites in coastal Adélie Land to see if combining cores improves data interpretability. It does at two sites, but at a third, wind-driven snow layer mixing limited benefits. We show that using multiple ice cores from one location can better uncover climate history, especially in areas with less wind disturbance.
Douglas J. Brinkerhoff, Brandon S. Tober, Michael Daniel, Victor Devaux-Chupin, Michael S. Christoffersen, John W. Holt, Christopher F. Larsen, Mark Fahnestock, Michael G. Loso, Kristin M. F. Timm, Russell C. Mitchell, and Martin Truffer
The Cryosphere, 19, 2321–2353, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2321-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2321-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Sít' Tlein is one of the largest glaciers in the world outside of the polar regions, and we know that it has been rapidly thinning. To forecast how this glacier will change in the future, we combine a computer model of ice flow with measurements from many different sources. Our model tells us that with high probability, Sít' Tlein's lower reaches are going to disappear in the next century and a half, creating a new bay or lake along Alaska's coastline.
Laurel A. Sindewald, Ryan Lagerquist, Matthew D. Cross, Theodore A. Scambos, Peter J. Anthamatten, and Diana F. Tomback
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-970, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-970, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We used high-resolution satellite imagery and artificial intelligence models to identify six tree and shrub species commonly found at alpine treeline in the Rocky Mountains with accuracies from 44.1% to 86.2%. We are the first to attempt species identification using satellite imagery in treeline systems, where trees are small and difficult to identify remotely. Our work provides a method to identify species with satellite imagery over a broader geographic range than can be achieved with drones.
Florent Domine, Mireille Quémener, Ludovick Bégin, Benjamin Bouchard, Valérie Dionne, Sébastien Jerczynski, Raphaël Larouche, Félix Lévesque-Desrosiers, Simon-Olivier Philibert, Marc-André Vigneault, Ghislain Picard, and Daniel C. Côté
The Cryosphere, 19, 1757–1774, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1757-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1757-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Shrubs buried in snow absorb solar radiation and reduce irradiance in the snowpack. This decreases photochemical reaction rates and emissions to the atmosphere. By monitoring irradiance in snowpacks with and without shrubs, we conclude that shrubs absorb solar radiation as much as 140 ppb of soot and reduce irradiance by a factor of 2. Shrub expansion in the Arctic may therefore affect tropospheric composition during the snow season with climatic effects.
Christian T. Wild, Tasha Snow, Tiago S. Dotto, Peter E. D. Davis, Scott Tyler, Ted A. Scambos, Erin C. Pettit, and Karen J. Heywood
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1675, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1675, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Thwaites Glacier is retreating due to warm ocean water melting it from below, but its thick ice shelf makes this heat hard to monitor. Using hot water drilling, we placed sensors beneath the floating ice, revealing how surface freezing in Pine Island Bay influences heat at depth. Alongside gradual warming, we found bursts of heat that could speed up melting at the grounding zone, which may become more common as sea ice declines.
Léa Elise Bonnefoy, Catherine Prigent, Ghislain Picard, Clément Soriot, Alice Le Gall, Lise Kilic, and Carlos Jimenez
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3972, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3972, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Microwave radiometry senses the thermal emission from a target, whereas its active counterpart, radar, sends a signal to the target and measures the signal reflected back. We simultaneously model radar and radiometry over the East Antarctic ice sheet, which we propose as an analog for icy moons: we can reproduce most data with a unique model. Saturn's moons' radar brightness cannot be reproduced and must be caused by processes unaccounted for in the model and less active in the Antarctic.
Marion Leduc-Leballeur, Ghislain Picard, Pierre Zeiger, and Giovanni Macelloni
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-732, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-732, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a quantitative and synthetic classification of the snowpack in 10 dry-wet status by aggregating separate binary indicators derived from satellite observations. The classification follows the expected evolution of the melt season: night refreezing is frequent at the onset, sustained melting is observed during the summer peak, and remnant liquid water at depth occurs at the end. This dataset improves the knowledge of melt processes using passive microwave remote sensing.
Natalie Lützow, Bretwood Higman, Martin Truffer, Bodo Bookhagen, Friedrich Knuth, Oliver Korup, Katie E. Hughes, Marten Geertsema, John J. Clague, and Georg Veh
The Cryosphere, 19, 1085–1102, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1085-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1085-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
As the atmosphere warms, thinning glacier dams impound smaller lakes at their margins. Yet, some lakes deviate from this trend and have instead grown over time, increasing the risk of glacier floods to downstream populations and infrastructure. In this article, we examine the mechanisms behind the growth of an ice-dammed lake in Alaska. We find that the growth in size and outburst volumes is more controlled by glacier front downwaste than by overall mass loss over the entire glacier surface.
Emily Glen, Amber Leeson, Alison F. Banwell, Jennifer Maddalena, Diarmuid Corr, Olivia Atkins, Brice Noël, and Malcolm McMillan
The Cryosphere, 19, 1047–1066, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1047-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1047-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We compare surface meltwater features from optical satellite imagery in the Russell–Leverett glacier catchment during high (2019) and low (2018) melt years. In the high melt year, features appear at higher elevations, meltwater systems are more connected, small lakes are more frequent, and slush is more widespread. These findings provide insights into how a warming climate, where high melt years become common, could alter meltwater distribution and dynamics on the Greenland Ice Sheet.
Alex S. Gardner, Chad A. Greene, Joseph H. Kennedy, Mark A. Fahnestock, Maria Liukis, Luis A. López, Yang Lei, Ted A. Scambos, and Amaury Dehecq
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-392, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-392, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The NASA MEaSUREs Inter-mission Time Series of Land Ice Velocity and Elevation (ITS_LIVE) project provides glacier and ice sheet velocity products for the full Landsat, Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 satellite archives, and will soon include data from Sentinel 1C and NISAR satellites. This paper describes the ITS_LIVE processing chain and provides guidance for working with the cloud-optimized velocity data it produces.
Andrew O. Hoffman, Michelle L. Maclennan, Jan Lenaerts, Kristine M. Larson, and Knut Christianson
The Cryosphere, 19, 713–730, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-713-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-713-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Traditionally, glaciologists use global navigation satellite systems (GNSSs) to measure the surface elevation and velocity of glaciers to understand processes associated with ice flow. Using the interference of GNSS signals that bounce off of the ice sheet surface, we measure the surface height change near GNSS receivers in the Amundsen Sea Embayment (ASE). From surface height change, we infer daily accumulation rates that we use to understand the drivers of extreme precipitation in the ASE.
Shenjie Zhou, Pierre Dutrieux, Claudia F. Giulivi, Adrian Jenkins, Alessandro Silvano, Christopher Auckland, E. Povl Abrahamsen, Michael P. Meredith, Irena Vaňková, Keith W. Nicholls, Peter E. D. Davis, Svein Østerhus, Arnold L. Gordon, Christopher J. Zappa, Tiago S. Dotto, Theodore A. Scambos, Kathyrn L. Gunn, Stephen R. Rintoul, Shigeru Aoki, Craig Stevens, Chengyan Liu, Sukyoung Yun, Tae-Wan Kim, Won Sang Lee, Markus Janout, Tore Hattermann, Julius Lauber, Elin Darelius, Anna Wåhlin, Leo Middleton, Pasquale Castagno, Giorgio Budillon, Karen J. Heywood, Jennifer Graham, Stephen Dye, Daisuke Hirano, and Una Kim Miller
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-54, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-54, 2025
Revised manuscript under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
We created the first standardised dataset of in-situ ocean measurements time series from around Antarctica collected since 1970s. This includes temperature, salinity, pressure, and currents recorded by instruments deployed in icy, challenging conditions. Our analysis highlights the dominance of tidal currents and separates these from other patterns to study regional energy distribution. This unique dataset offers a foundation for future research on Antarctic ocean dynamics and ice interactions.
Ella Gilbert, Denis Pishniak, José Abraham Torres, Andrew Orr, Michelle Maclennan, Nander Wever, and Kristiina Verro
The Cryosphere, 19, 597–618, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-597-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-597-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We use three sophisticated climate models to examine extreme precipitation in a critical region of West Antarctica. We found that rainfall probably occurred during the two cases we examined and that it was generated by the interaction of air with steep topography. Our results show that kilometre-scale models are useful tools for exploring extreme precipitation in this region and that more observations of rainfall are needed.
Inès Ollivier, Hans Christian Steen-Larsen, Barbara Stenni, Laurent Arnaud, Mathieu Casado, Alexandre Cauquoin, Giuliano Dreossi, Christophe Genthon, Bénédicte Minster, Ghislain Picard, Martin Werner, and Amaëlle Landais
The Cryosphere, 19, 173–200, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-173-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-173-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The role of post-depositional processes taking place at the ice sheet's surface on the water stable isotope signal measured in polar ice cores is not fully understood. Using field observations and modelling results, we show that the original precipitation isotopic signal at Dome C, East Antarctica, is modified by post-depositional processes and provide the first quantitative estimation of their mean impact on the isotopic signal observed in the snow.
Ghislain Picard and Quentin Libois
Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 8927–8953, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8927-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-8927-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Two-streAm Radiative TransfEr in Snow (TARTES) is a radiative transfer model to compute snow albedo in the solar domain and the profiles of light and energy absorption in a multi-layered snowpack whose physical properties are user defined. It uniquely considers snow grain shape flexibly, based on recent insights showing that snow does not behave as a collection of ice spheres but instead as a random medium. TARTES is user-friendly yet performs comparably to more complex models.
Amy Jenson, Mark Skidmore, Lucas Beem, Martin Truffer, and Scott McCalla
The Cryosphere, 18, 5451–5464, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5451-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-5451-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Water in some glacier environments contains salt, which increases its density and lowers its freezing point, allowing saline water to exist where freshwater cannot. Previous subglacial hydrology models do not consider saline fluid. We model the flow of saline fluid from a subglacial lake through a circular channel at the glacier bed, finding that higher salinities lead to less melting at the channel walls and lower discharge rates. We also observe the impact of increased fluid density on flow.
Melody Sandells, Nick Rutter, Kirsty Wivell, Richard Essery, Stuart Fox, Chawn Harlow, Ghislain Picard, Alexandre Roy, Alain Royer, and Peter Toose
The Cryosphere, 18, 3971–3990, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3971-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3971-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Satellite microwave observations are used for weather forecasting. In Arctic regions this is complicated by natural emission from snow. By simulating airborne observations from in situ measurements of snow, this study shows how snow properties affect the signal within the atmosphere. Fresh snowfall between flights changed airborne measurements. Good knowledge of snow layering and structure can be used to account for the effects of snow and could unlock these data to improve forecasts.
Sara Arioli, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Simon Gascoin, Esteban Alonso-González, Marine Poizat, and Mark Irvine
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 3913–3934, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3913-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-3913-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
High-accuracy precision maps of the surface temperature of snow were acquired with an uncooled thermal-infrared camera during winter 2021–2022 and spring 2023. The accuracy – i.e., mean absolute error – improved from 1.28 K to 0.67 K between the seasons thanks to an improved camera setup and temperature stabilization. The dataset represents a major advance in the validation of satellite measurements and physical snow models over a complex topography.
Romilly Harris Stuart, Amaëlle Landais, Laurent Arnaud, Christo Buizert, Emilie Capron, Marie Dumont, Quentin Libois, Robert Mulvaney, Anaïs Orsi, Ghislain Picard, Frédéric Prié, Jeffrey Severinghaus, Barbara Stenni, and Patricia Martinerie
The Cryosphere, 18, 3741–3763, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3741-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3741-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice core δO2/N2 records are useful dating tools due to their local insolation pacing. A precise understanding of the physical mechanism driving this relationship, however, remain ambiguous. By compiling data from 15 polar sites, we find a strong dependence of mean δO2/N2 on accumulation rate and temperature in addition to the well-documented insolation dependence. Snowpack modelling is used to investigate which physical properties drive the mechanistic dependence on these local parameters.
Gabriela Collao-Barrios, Ted A. Scambos, Christian T. Wild, Martin Truffer, Karen E. Alley, and Erin C. Pettit
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1895, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1895, 2024
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Destabilization of ice shelves frequently leads to significant acceleration and greater mass loss, affecting rates of sea level rise. Our results show a relation between tides, flow direction, and grounding-zone acceleration that result from changing stresses in the ice margins and around a nunatak in Dotson Ice Shelf. The study describes a new way tides can influence ice shelf dynamics, an effect that could become more common as ice shelves thin and weaken around Antarctica.
Julien Meloche, Melody Sandells, Henning Löwe, Nick Rutter, Richard Essery, Ghislain Picard, Randall K. Scharien, Alexandre Langlois, Matthias Jaggi, Josh King, Peter Toose, Jérôme Bouffard, Alessandro Di Bella, and Michele Scagliola
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1583, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1583, 2024
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Sea ice thickness is essential for climate studies. Radar altimetry has provided sea ice thickness measurement, but uncertainty arises from interaction of the signal with the snow cover. Therefore, modelling the signal interaction with the snow is necessary to improve retrieval. A radar model was used to simulate the radar signal from the snow-covered sea ice. This work paved the way to improved physical algorithm to retrieve snow depth and sea ice thickness for radar altimeter missions.
Justin Murfitt, Claude Duguay, Ghislain Picard, and Juha Lemmetyinen
The Cryosphere, 18, 869–888, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-869-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-869-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This research focuses on the interaction between microwave signals and lake ice under wet conditions. Field data collected for Lake Oulujärvi in Finland were used to model backscatter under different conditions. The results of the modelling likely indicate that a combination of increased water content and roughness of different interfaces caused backscatter to increase. These results could help to identify areas where lake ice is unsafe for winter transportation.
Claudio Stefanini, Giovanni Macelloni, Marion Leduc-Leballeur, Vincent Favier, Benjamin Pohl, and Ghislain Picard
The Cryosphere, 18, 593–608, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-593-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-593-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Local and large-scale meteorological conditions have been considered in order to explain some peculiar changes of snow grains on the East Antarctic Plateau from 2000 to 2022, by using remote sensing observations and reanalysis. We identified some extreme grain size events on the highest ice divide, resulting from a combination of conditions of low wind speed and low temperature. Moreover, the beginning of seasonal grain growth has been linked to the occurrence of atmospheric rivers.
Jean Emmanuel Sicart, Victor Ramseyer, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Catherine Coulaud, Guilhem Freche, Damien Soubeyrand, Yves Lejeune, Marie Dumont, Isabelle Gouttevin, Erwan Le Gac, Frédéric Berger, Jean-Matthieu Monnet, Laurent Borgniet, Éric Mermin, Nick Rutter, Clare Webster, and Richard Essery
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 5121–5133, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5121-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5121-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Forests strongly modify the accumulation, metamorphism and melting of snow in midlatitude and high-latitude regions. Two field campaigns during the winters 2016–17 and 2017–18 were conducted in a coniferous forest in the French Alps to study interactions between snow and vegetation. This paper presents the field site, instrumentation and collection methods. The observations include forest characteristics, meteorology, snow cover and snow interception by the canopy during precipitation events.
Jenna A. Epifanio, Edward J. Brook, Christo Buizert, Erin C. Pettit, Jon S. Edwards, John M. Fegyveresi, Todd A. Sowers, Jeffrey P. Severinghaus, and Emma C. Kahle
The Cryosphere, 17, 4837–4851, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4837-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4837-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The total air content (TAC) of polar ice cores has long been considered a potential proxy for past ice sheet elevation. This study presents a high-resolution record of TAC from the South Pole ice core. The record reveals orbital- and millennial-scale variability that cannot be explained by elevation changes. The orbital- and millennial-scale changes are likely a product of firn grain metamorphism near the surface of the ice sheet, due to summer insolation changes or local accumulation changes.
Prateek Gantayat, Alison F. Banwell, Amber A. Leeson, James M. Lea, Dorthe Petersen, Noel Gourmelen, and Xavier Fettweis
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 5803–5823, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5803-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-5803-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new supraglacial hydrology model for the Greenland Ice Sheet. This model simulates surface meltwater routing, meltwater drainage, supraglacial lake (SGL) overflow, and formation of lake ice. The model was able to reproduce 80 % of observed lake locations and provides a good match between the observed and modelled temporal evolution of SGLs.
Thomas Dethinne, Quentin Glaude, Ghislain Picard, Christoph Kittel, Patrick Alexander, Anne Orban, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 17, 4267–4288, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4267-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4267-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the sensitivity of the regional climate model
Modèle Atmosphérique Régional(MAR) to the assimilation of wet-snow occurrence estimated by remote sensing datasets. The assimilation is performed by nudging the MAR snowpack temperature. The data assimilation is performed over the Antarctic Peninsula for the 2019–2021 period. The results show an increase in the melt production (+66.7 %) and a decrease in surface mass balance (−4.5 %) of the model for the 2019–2020 melt season.
Yaowen Zheng, Nicholas R. Golledge, Alexandra Gossart, Ghislain Picard, and Marion Leduc-Leballeur
The Cryosphere, 17, 3667–3694, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3667-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3667-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Positive degree-day (PDD) schemes are widely used in many Antarctic numerical ice sheet models. However, the PDD approach has not been systematically explored for its application in Antarctica. We have constructed a novel grid-cell-level spatially distributed PDD (dist-PDD) model and assessed its accuracy. We suggest that an appropriately parameterized dist-PDD model can be a valuable tool for exploring Antarctic surface melt beyond the satellite era.
Esteban Alonso-González, Simon Gascoin, Sara Arioli, and Ghislain Picard
The Cryosphere, 17, 3329–3342, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3329-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3329-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Data assimilation techniques are a promising approach to improve snowpack simulations in remote areas that are difficult to monitor. This paper studies the ability of satellite-observed land surface temperature to improve snowpack simulations through data assimilation. We show that it is possible to improve snowpack simulations, but the temporal resolution of the observations and the algorithm used are critical to obtain satisfactory results.
Sara Arioli, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, and Vincent Favier
The Cryosphere, 17, 2323–2342, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2323-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2323-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
To assess the drivers of the snow grain size evolution during snow drift, we exploit a 5-year time series of the snow grain size retrieved from spectral-albedo observations made with a new, autonomous, multi-band radiometer and compare it to observations of snow drift, snowfall and snowmelt at a windy location of coastal Antarctica. Our results highlight the complexity of the grain size evolution in the presence of snow drift and show an overall tendency of snow drift to limit its variations.
Inès N. Otosaka, Andrew Shepherd, Erik R. Ivins, Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Charles Amory, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Martin Horwath, Ian Joughin, Michalea D. King, Gerhard Krinner, Sophie Nowicki, Anthony J. Payne, Eric Rignot, Ted Scambos, Karen M. Simon, Benjamin E. Smith, Louise S. Sørensen, Isabella Velicogna, Pippa L. Whitehouse, Geruo A, Cécile Agosta, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, Alejandro Blazquez, William Colgan, Marcus E. Engdahl, Xavier Fettweis, Rene Forsberg, Hubert Gallée, Alex Gardner, Lin Gilbert, Noel Gourmelen, Andreas Groh, Brian C. Gunter, Christopher Harig, Veit Helm, Shfaqat Abbas Khan, Christoph Kittel, Hannes Konrad, Peter L. Langen, Benoit S. Lecavalier, Chia-Chun Liang, Bryant D. Loomis, Malcolm McMillan, Daniele Melini, Sebastian H. Mernild, Ruth Mottram, Jeremie Mouginot, Johan Nilsson, Brice Noël, Mark E. Pattle, William R. Peltier, Nadege Pie, Mònica Roca, Ingo Sasgen, Himanshu V. Save, Ki-Weon Seo, Bernd Scheuchl, Ernst J. O. Schrama, Ludwig Schröder, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Thomas Slater, Giorgio Spada, Tyler C. Sutterley, Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma, Jan Melchior van Wessem, David Wiese, Wouter van der Wal, and Bert Wouters
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 1597–1616, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1597-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-1597-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
By measuring changes in the volume, gravitational attraction, and ice flow of Greenland and Antarctica from space, we can monitor their mass gain and loss over time. Here, we present a new record of the Earth’s polar ice sheet mass balance produced by aggregating 50 satellite-based estimates of ice sheet mass change. This new assessment shows that the ice sheets have lost (7.5 x 1012) t of ice between 1992 and 2020, contributing 21 mm to sea level rise.
Michelle L. Maclennan, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Christine A. Shields, Andrew O. Hoffman, Nander Wever, Megan Thompson-Munson, Andrew C. Winters, Erin C. Pettit, Theodore A. Scambos, and Jonathan D. Wille
The Cryosphere, 17, 865–881, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-865-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Atmospheric rivers are air masses that transport large amounts of moisture and heat towards the poles. Here, we use a combination of weather observations and models to quantify the amount of snowfall caused by atmospheric rivers in West Antarctica which is about 10 % of the total snowfall each year. We then examine a unique event that occurred in early February 2020, when three atmospheric rivers made landfall over West Antarctica in rapid succession, leading to heavy snowfall and surface melt.
Ghislain Picard, Marion Leduc-Leballeur, Alison F. Banwell, Ludovic Brucker, and Giovanni Macelloni
The Cryosphere, 16, 5061–5083, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5061-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5061-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Using a snowpack radiative transfer model, we investigate in which conditions meltwater can be detected from passive microwave satellite observations from 1.4 to 37 GHz. In particular, we determine the minimum detectable liquid water content, the maximum depth of detection of a buried wet snow layer and the risk of false alarm due to supraglacial lakes. These results provide information for the developers of new, more advanced satellite melt products and for the users of the existing products.
Marin Kneib, Evan S. Miles, Pascal Buri, Stefan Fugger, Michael McCarthy, Thomas E. Shaw, Zhao Chuanxi, Martin Truffer, Matthew J. Westoby, Wei Yang, and Francesca Pellicciotti
The Cryosphere, 16, 4701–4725, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4701-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Ice cliffs are believed to be important contributors to the melt of debris-covered glaciers, but this has rarely been quantified as the cliffs can disappear or rapidly expand within a few weeks. We used photogrammetry techniques to quantify the weekly evolution and melt of four cliffs. We found that their behaviour and melt during the monsoon is strongly controlled by supraglacial debris, streams and ponds, thus providing valuable insights on the melt and evolution of debris-covered glaciers.
Dominic Saunderson, Andrew Mackintosh, Felicity McCormack, Richard Selwyn Jones, and Ghislain Picard
The Cryosphere, 16, 4553–4569, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4553-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4553-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate the variability in surface melt on the Shackleton Ice Shelf in East Antarctica over the last 2 decades (2003–2021). Using daily satellite observations and the machine learning approach of a self-organising map, we identify nine distinct spatial patterns of melt. These patterns allow comparisons of melt within and across melt seasons and highlight the importance of both air temperatures and local controls such as topography, katabatic winds, and albedo in driving surface melt.
Ghislain Picard, Henning Löwe, and Christian Mätzler
The Cryosphere, 16, 3861–3866, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3861-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3861-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Microwave satellite observations used to monitor the cryosphere require radiative transfer models for their interpretation. These models represent how microwaves are scattered by snow and ice. However no existing theory is suitable for all types of snow and ice found on Earth. We adapted a recently published generic scattering theory to snow and show how it may improve the representation of snows with intermediate densities (~500 kg/m3) and/or with coarse grains at high microwave frequencies.
Gauthier Vérin, Florent Domine, Marcel Babin, Ghislain Picard, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 16, 3431–3449, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-3431-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Snow physical properties on Arctic sea ice are monitored during the melt season. As snow grains grow, and the snowpack thickness is reduced, the surface albedo decreases. The extra absorbed energy accelerates melting. Radiative transfer modeling shows that more radiation is then transmitted to the snow–sea-ice interface. A sharp increase in transmitted radiation takes place when the snowpack thins significantly, and this coincides with the initiation of the phytoplankton bloom in the seawater.
Douglas I. Benn, Adrian Luckman, Jan A. Åström, Anna J. Crawford, Stephen L. Cornford, Suzanne L. Bevan, Thomas Zwinger, Rupert Gladstone, Karen Alley, Erin Pettit, and Jeremy Bassis
The Cryosphere, 16, 2545–2564, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2545-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Thwaites Glacier (TG), in West Antarctica, is potentially unstable and may contribute significantly to sea-level rise as global warming continues. Using satellite data, we show that Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf, the largest remaining floating extension of TG, has started to accelerate as it fragments along a shear zone. Computer modelling does not indicate that fragmentation will lead to imminent glacier collapse, but it is clear that major, rapid, and unpredictable changes are underway.
Benjamin Lehmann, Robert S. Anderson, Xavier Bodin, Diego Cusicanqui, Pierre G. Valla, and Julien Carcaillet
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 605–633, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Rock glaciers are some of the most frequently occurring landforms containing ice in mountain environments. Here, we use field observations, analysis of aerial and satellite images, and dating methods to investigate the activity of the rock glacier of the Vallon de la Route in the French Alps. Our results suggest that the rock glacier is characterized by two major episodes of activity and that the rock glacier system promotes the maintenance of mountain erosion.
Matthew K. Laffin, Charles S. Zender, Melchior van Wessem, and Sebastián Marinsek
The Cryosphere, 16, 1369–1381, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1369-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1369-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The collapses of the Larsen A and B ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) occurred while the ice shelves were covered with large melt lakes, and ocean waves damaged the ice shelf fronts, triggering collapse. Observations show föhn winds were present on both ice shelves and increased surface melt and drove sea ice away from the ice front. Collapsed ice shelves experienced enhanced surface melt driven by föhn winds, whereas extant ice shelves are affected less by föhn-wind-induced melt.
Alvaro Robledano, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Fanny Larue, and Inès Ollivier
The Cryosphere, 16, 559–579, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-559-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-559-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Topography controls the surface temperature of snow-covered, mountainous areas. We developed a modelling chain that uses ray-tracing methods to quantify the impact of a few topographic effects on snow surface temperature at high spatial resolution. Its large spatial and temporal variations are correctly simulated over a 50 km2 area in the French Alps, and our results show that excluding a single topographic effect results in cooling (or warming) effects on the order of 1 °C.
Christian T. Wild, Karen E. Alley, Atsuhiro Muto, Martin Truffer, Ted A. Scambos, and Erin C. Pettit
The Cryosphere, 16, 397–417, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-397-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-397-2022, 2022
Short summary
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.
Andy Aschwanden, Timothy C. Bartholomaus, Douglas J. Brinkerhoff, and Martin Truffer
The Cryosphere, 15, 5705–5715, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5705-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5705-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Estimating how much ice loss from Greenland and Antarctica will contribute to sea level rise is of critical societal importance. However, our analysis shows that recent efforts are not trustworthy because the models fail at reproducing contemporary ice melt. Here we present a roadmap towards making more credible estimates of ice sheet melt.
Karen E. Alley, Christian T. Wild, Adrian Luckman, Ted A. Scambos, Martin Truffer, Erin C. Pettit, Atsuhiro Muto, Bruce Wallin, Marin Klinger, Tyler Sutterley, Sarah F. Child, Cyrus Hulen, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Michelle Maclennan, Eric Keenan, and Devon Dunmire
The Cryosphere, 15, 5187–5203, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5187-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5187-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a 20-year, satellite-based record of velocity and thickness change on the Thwaites Eastern Ice Shelf (TEIS), the largest remaining floating extension of Thwaites Glacier (TG). TG holds the single greatest control on sea-level rise over the next few centuries, so it is important to understand changes on the TEIS, which controls much of TG's flow into the ocean. Our results suggest that the TEIS is progressively destabilizing and is likely to disintegrate over the next few decades.
Maria Belke-Brea, Florent Domine, Ghislain Picard, Mathieu Barrere, and Laurent Arnaud
Biogeosciences, 18, 5851–5869, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-18-5851-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Expanding shrubs in the Arctic change snowpacks into a mix of snow, impurities and buried branches. Snow is a translucent medium into which light penetrates and gets partly absorbed by branches or impurities. Measurements of light attenuation in snow in Northern Quebec, Canada, showed (1) black-carbon-dominated light attenuation in snowpacks without shrubs and (2) buried branches influence radiation attenuation in snow locally, leading to melting and pockets of large crystals close to branches.
Kelly Kochanski, Gregory Tucker, and Robert Anderson
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-205, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-205, 2021
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Falling snow does not life flat. When blown by the wind, it forms elaborate structures, like dunes. Where these dunes form, they change the way heat flows through the snow. This can accelerate sea ice melt and climate change. Here, we use both field observations obtained during blizzards in Colorado and simulations performed with a state-of-the-art model, to quantify the impact of snow dunes on Arctic heat flows.
Ross Maguire, Nicholas Schmerr, Erin Pettit, Kiya Riverman, Christyna Gardner, Daniella N. DellaGiustina, Brad Avenson, Natalie Wagner, Angela G. Marusiak, Namrah Habib, Juliette I. Broadbeck, Veronica J. Bray, and Samuel H. Bailey
The Cryosphere, 15, 3279–3291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3279-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3279-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In the last decade, airborne radar surveys have revealed the presence of lakes below the Greenland ice sheet. However, little is known about their properties, including their depth and the volume of water they store. We performed a ground-based geophysics survey in northwestern Greenland and, for the first time, were able to image the depth of a subglacial lake and estimate its volume. Our findings have implications for the thermal state and stability of the ice sheet in northwest Greenland.
Devon Dunmire, Alison F. Banwell, Nander Wever, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, and Rajashree Tri Datta
The Cryosphere, 15, 2983–3005, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2983-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here, we automatically detect buried lakes (meltwater lakes buried below layers of snow) across the Greenland Ice Sheet, providing insight into a poorly studied meltwater feature. For 2018 and 2019, we compare areal extent of buried lakes. We find greater buried lake extent in 2019, especially in northern Greenland, which we attribute to late-summer surface melt and high autumn temperatures. We also provide evidence that buried lakes form via different processes across Greenland.
Naomi E. Ochwat, Shawn J. Marshall, Brian J. Moorman, Alison S. Criscitiello, and Luke Copland
The Cryosphere, 15, 2021–2040, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2021-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In May 2018 we drilled into Kaskawulsh Glacier to study how it is being affected by climate warming and used models to investigate the evolution of the firn since the 1960s. We found that the accumulation zone has experienced increased melting that has refrozen as ice layers and has formed a perennial firn aquifer. These results better inform climate-induced changes on northern glaciers and variables to take into account when estimating glacier mass change using remote-sensing methods.
Alan Huston, Nicholas Siler, Gerard H. Roe, Erin Pettit, and Nathan J. Steiger
The Cryosphere, 15, 1645–1662, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1645-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1645-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We simulate the past 1000 years of glacier length variability using a simple glacier model and an ensemble of global climate model simulations. Glaciers with long response times are more likely to record global climate changes caused by events like volcanic eruptions and greenhouse gas emissions, while glaciers with short response times are more likely to record natural variability. This difference stems from differences in the frequency spectra of natural and forced temperature variability.
Alison F. Banwell, Rajashree Tri Datta, Rebecca L. Dell, Mahsa Moussavi, Ludovic Brucker, Ghislain Picard, Christopher A. Shuman, and Laura A. Stevens
The Cryosphere, 15, 909–925, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-909-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-909-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Ice shelves are thick floating layers of glacier ice extending from the glaciers on land that buttress much of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and help to protect it from losing ice to the ocean. However, the stability of ice shelves is vulnerable to meltwater lakes that form on their surfaces during the summer. This study focuses on the northern George VI Ice Shelf on the western side of the AP, which had an exceptionally long and extensive melt season in 2019/2020 compared to the previous 31 seasons.
Leif S. Anderson, William H. Armstrong, Robert S. Anderson, and Pascal Buri
The Cryosphere, 15, 265–282, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-265-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-265-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Many glaciers are thinning rapidly beneath debris cover (loose rock) that reduces melt, including Kennicott Glacier in Alaska. This contradiction has been explained by melt hotspots, such as ice cliffs, scattered within the debris cover. However, at Kennicott Glacier declining ice flow explains the rapid thinning. Through this study, Kennicott Glacier is now the first glacier in Alaska, and the largest glacier globally, where melt across its debris-covered tongue has been rigorously quantified.
Alia L. Khan, Heidi M. Dierssen, Ted A. Scambos, Juan Höfer, and Raul R. Cordero
The Cryosphere, 15, 133–148, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-133-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present radiative forcing (RF) estimates by snow algae in the Antarctic Peninsula (AP) region from multi-year measurements of solar radiation and ground-based hyperspectral characterization of red and green snow algae collected during a brief field expedition in austral summer 2018. Mean daily RF was double for green (~26 W m−2) vs. red (~13 W m−2) snow algae during the peak growing season, which is on par with midlatitude dust attributions capable of advancing snowmelt.
François Tuzet, Marie Dumont, Ghislain Picard, Maxim Lamare, Didier Voisin, Pierre Nabat, Mathieu Lafaysse, Fanny Larue, Jesus Revuelto, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 14, 4553–4579, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4553-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4553-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a field dataset collected over 30 d from two snow seasons at a Col du Lautaret site (French Alps). The dataset compares different measurements or estimates of light-absorbing particle (LAP) concentrations in snow, highlighting a gap in the current understanding of the measurement of these quantities. An ensemble snowpack model is then evaluated for this dataset estimating that LAPs shorten each snow season by around 10 d despite contrasting meteorological conditions.
Maxim Lamare, Marie Dumont, Ghislain Picard, Fanny Larue, François Tuzet, Clément Delcourt, and Laurent Arnaud
The Cryosphere, 14, 3995–4020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3995-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3995-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Terrain features found in mountainous regions introduce large errors into the calculation of the physical properties of snow using optical satellite images. We present a new model performing rapid calculations of solar radiation over snow-covered rugged terrain that we tested over a site in the French Alps. The results of the study show that all the interactions between sunlight and the terrain should be accounted for over snow-covered surfaces to correctly estimate snow properties from space.
Julie Z. Miller, David G. Long, Kenneth C. Jezek, Joel T. Johnson, Mary J. Brodzik, Christopher A. Shuman, Lora S. Koenig, and Ted A. Scambos
The Cryosphere, 14, 2809–2817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2809-2020, 2020
Cited articles
Adusumilli, S., Fricker, H. A., Siegfried, M. R., Padman, L., Paolo, F. S., and Ligtenberg, S. R. M.:. Variable basal melt rates of Antarctic Peninsula ice shelves, 1994–2016, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 4086–4095, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017GL076652, 2018.
Amundson, J. M., Fahnestock, M., Truffer, M., Brown, J., Lüthi, M. P., and Motyka, R. J.: Ice mélange dynamics and implications for terminus stability, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F01005, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001405, 2010.
Arthur, J., Stokes, C., Jamieson, S., Miles, B., Carr, J., and Leeson, A.: The triggers of the disaggregation of Voyeykov Ice Shelf (2007), Wilkes Land, East Antarctica, and its subsequent evolution, J. Glaciol., 67, 933–951, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.45, 2021.
Banwell, A. F. and Macayeal, D. R.: Ice-shelf fracture due to viscoelastic flexure stress induced by fill/drain cycles of supraglacial lakes, Antarct. Sci., 27, 587–597, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102015000292, 2015.
Banwell, A. F., MacAyeal, D. R., and Sergienko, O. V.: Breakup of the Larsen B Ice Shelf triggered by chain reaction drainage of supraglacial lakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 40, 5872–5876, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL057694, 2013.
Banwell, A. F., Willis, I. C., Goodsell, B., Macdonald, G. J., Mayer, D., Powell, A. and MacAyeal, D. R.: Calving and Rifting on McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 58, 78–87, https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2017.12, 2017.
Banwell, A. F., Datta, R. T., Dell, R. L., Moussavi, M., Brucker, L., Picard, G., Shuman, C. A., and Stevens, L. A.: The 32-year record-high surface melt in 2019/2020 on the northern George VI Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, The Cryosphere, 15, 909–925, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-909-2021, 2021.
Banwell, A. F., Wever, N., Dunmire, D., and Picard, G.: Quantifying Antarctic-wide ice-shelf surface melt volume using microwave and firn model data: 1980 to 2021, Geophys. Res. Lett., 50, e2023GL102744, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL102744, 2023.
Bassis, J. N., Berg, B., Crawford, A. J., and Benn, D. I.: Transition to marine ice cliff instability controlled by ice thickness gradients and velocity, Science, 372, 1342–1344, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abf6271, 2021.
Bevan, S. L., Luckman, A. J., Kuipers Munneke, P., Hubbard, B., Kulessa, B., and Ashmore, D. W.: Decline in surface melt duration on Larsen C Ice Shelf revealed by the advanced scatterometer (ASCAT), Earth Space Sci., 5, 578–591, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EA000421, 2018.
Bevan, S., Luckman, A., Hendon, H., and Wang, G.: The 2020 Larsen C Ice Shelf surface melt is a 40-year record high, The Cryosphere, 14, 3551–3564, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-3551-2020, 2020.
Borstad, C. P., Rignot, E., Mouginot, J., and Schodlok, M. P.: Creep deformation and buttressing capacity of damaged ice shelves: theory and application to Larsen C ice shelf, The Cryosphere, 7, 1931–1947, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-1931-2013, 2013.
Bozkurt, D., Rondanelli, R., Marin, J. C., and Garreaud, R.L: Foehn event triggered by an atmospheric river underlies record-setting temperature along continental Antarctica, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 123, 3871–3892, https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JD027796, 2018.
Braun, M., Humbert, A., and Moll, A.: Changes of Wilkins Ice Shelf over the past 15 years and inferences on its stability, The Cryosphere, 3, 41–56, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-3-41-2009, 2009.
Cape, M. R., Vernet, M., Skvarca, P., Marinsek, S., Scambos, T., and Domack, E.: Foehn winds link climate-driven warming to ice shelf evolution in Antarctica, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 120, 11–37, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JD023465, 2015.
Cassotto, R., Fahnestock, M., Amundson, J., Truffer, M., and Joughin, I.: Seasonal and interannual variations in ice mélange and its impact on terminus stability, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, J. Glaciol., 61, 76–88, https://doi.org/10.3189/2015JoG13J235, 2015.
Christie, F. D. W., Benham, T. J., Batchelor, C. L., Rack, W., Montelli, A., and Dowdeswell, J. A.: Antarctic ice-shelf advance driven by anomalous atmospheric and sea-ice circulation, Nat. Geosci., 15, 356–362, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-00938-x, 2022.
Cook, A. J. and Vaughan, D. G.: Overview of areal changes of the ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula over the past 50 years, The Cryosphere, 4, 77–98, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-4-77-2010, 2010.
Crawford, A. J., Benn, D. I., Todd, J., Åström, J. A., Bassis, J. N., and Zwinger, T.: Marine ice-cliff instability modelling shows mixed-mode ice-cliff failure and yields calving rate parameterization, Nat. Commun., 12, 2701, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23070-7, 2021.
Crocker, G. and Wadhams, P.: Breakup of Antarctic fast ice, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 17, 61–76, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-232X(89)80016-3, 1989.
Datta, R. T., Tedesco, M., Fettweis, X., Agosta, C., Lhermitte, S., Lenaerts, J. T. M., and Wever, N.: The effect of Foehn-induced surface melt on firn evolution over the northeast Antarctic peninsula, Geophys. Res. Lett., 46, 3822–3831, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL080845, 2019.
De Rydt, J., Gudmundsson, G. H., Rott, H., and Bamber, J. L.: Modeling the instantaneous response of glaciers after the collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 5355–5363, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL064355, 2015.
Doake, C. and Vaughan, D.: Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming, Nature, 350, 328–330, https://doi.org/10.1038/350328a0, 1991.
Durrant, T., Hemer, M., Smith, G., Trenham, C., and Greenslade, D.: CAWCR Wave Hindcast – Aggregated Collection. v5, CSIRO Service Collection [data set], http://hdl.handle.net/102.100.100/137152?index=1 (last access: 10 November 2022), 2019.
Fahnestock, M., Scambos, T., Moon, T., Gardner, A., Haran, T., and Klinger, M.: Rapid large-area mapping of ice flow using Landsat 8, Remote Sens. Environ., 185, 84–94, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2015.11.023, 2016.
Fogt, R. L., and Marshall, G. J.: The Southern Annular Mode: Variability, trends, and climate impacts across the Southern Hemisphere, Rev. Clim. Change, 11, 1–24, https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.652, 2020.
Francis, D., Mattingly, K. S., Lhermitte, S., Temimi, M., and Heil, P.: Atmospheric extremes caused high oceanward sea surface slope triggering the biggest calving event in more than 50 years at the Amery Ice Shelf, The Cryosphere, 15, 2147–2165, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, 2021.
Francis, D., Fonseca, R., Mattingly, K. S., Marsh, O. J., Lhermitte, S., and Cherif, C.: Atmospheric triggers of the Brunt Ice Shelf calving in February 2021, J. Geophys. Res.-Atmos., 127, e2021JD036424, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JD036424, 2022.
Fraser, A. D., Massom, R. A., Handcock, M. S., Reid, P., Ohshima, K. I., Raphael, M. N., Cartwright, J., Klekociuk, A. R., Wang, Z., and Porter-Smith, R.: Eighteen-year record of circum-Antarctic landfast-sea-ice distribution allows detailed baseline characterisation and reveals trends and variability, The Cryosphere, 15, 5061–5077, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5061-2021, 2021.
Friedl, P., Weiser, F., Fluhrer, A., and Braun, M. H.: Remote sensing of glacier and ice sheet grounding lines: A review, Earth-Sci. Rev., 201, 102948, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.102948, 2020.
Gardner, A. S., Moholdt, G., Scambos, T., Fahnstock, M., Ligtenberg, S., van den Broeke, M., and Nilsson, J.: Increased West Antarctic and unchanged East Antarctic ice discharge over the last 7 years, The Cryosphere, 12, 521–547, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-521-2018, 2018.
Gilbert, E., and Kittel, C.: Surface melt and runoff on Antarctic ice shelves at 1.5 °C, 2 °C, and 4 °C of future warming, Geophys. Res. Lett., 48, e2020GL091733, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL091733, 2021.
Glasser, N. F. and Scambos, T. A.: A structural glaciological analysis of the 2002 Larsen B ice-shelf collapse, J. Glaciol., 54, 3–16, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214308784409017, 2008.
Glasser, N. F., Scambos, T. A., Bohlander, J., Truffer, M., Pettit, E., and Davies, B. J.: From ice-shelf tributary to tidewater glacier: continued rapid recession, acceleration and thinning of Röhss Glacier following the 1995 collapse of the Prince Gustav Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, J. Glaciol., 57, 397–406, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311796905578, 2011.
Gomez-Fell, R., Rack, W., Purdie, H., and Marsh, O.: Parker Ice Tongue collapse, Antarctica, triggered by loss of stabilizing land-fast sea ice, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2021GL096156, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096156, 2022.
Greene, C. A., Young, D. A., Gwyther, D. E., Galton-Fenzi, B. K., and Blankenship, D. D.: Seasonal dynamics of Totten Ice Shelf controlled by sea ice buttressing, The Cryosphere, 12, 2869–2882, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2869-2018, 2018.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Hirahara, S., Horányi, A., Muñoz-Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Abdalla, S., Abellan, X., Balsamo, G., Bechtold, P., Biavati, G., Bidlot, J., Bonavita, M., De Chiara, G., Dahlgren, P., Dee, D., Diamantakis, M., Dragani, R., Flem- ming, J., Forbes, R., Fuentes, M., Geer, A., Haimberger, L., Healy, S., Hogan, R. J., Hólm, E., Janisková, M., Keeley, S., Laloyaux, P., Lopez, P., Lupu, C., Radnoti, G., de Rosnay, P., Rozum, I., Vamborg, F., Villaume, S., and Thépaut, J.-N.: The ERA5 global reanalysis, Q. J. Roy. Meteor. Soc., 146, 1999–2049, https://doi.org/10.1002/qj.3803, 2020.
Hersbach, H., Bell, B., Berrisford, P., Biavati, G., Horányi, A., Muñoz Sabater, J., Nicolas, J., Peubey, C., Radu, R., Rozum, I., Schepers, D., Simmons, A., Soci, C., Dee, D., and Thépaut, J.-N.: ERA5 hourly data on single levels from 1940 to present, Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Climate Data Store (CDS) [data set], https://doi.org/10.24381/cds.adbb2d47, 2023.
Hogenson, K., Kristenson, H., Kennedy, J., Johnston, A., Rine, J., Logan, T., Zhu, J., Williams, F., Herrmann, J., Smale, J., and Meyer, F.: Hybrid Pluggable Processing Pipeline (HyP3): A cloud-native infrastructure for generic processing of SAR data, Zenodo [software], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4646138, 2020.
Holmes, C. R., Bracegirdle, T. J., and Holland, P. R.: Antarctic sea ice projections constrained by historical ice cover and future global temperature change, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2021GL097413, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL097413, 2022.
Howat, I., Porter C., Noh, M-J., Erik, H., Samuel, K., Danish, E., Tomko, K., Gardiner, J., Negrete, A., Yadav, B., Klassen, J., Kelleher, C., Cloutier, M., Bakker, J., Enos, J., Arnold, G., Bauer, G., Morin, P.: The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica – Strips, Version 4.1, Harvard Dataverse [data set], https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/X7NDNY, 2022.
Hulbe, C. L., Scambos, T. A., Youngberg, T., and Lamb, A. K.: Patterns of glacier response to disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, Global Planet. Change, 63, 1–8, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2008.04.001, 2008.
Khazendar, A., Rignot, E., and Larour, E.: Larsen B Ice Shelf rheology preceding its disintegration inferred by a control method, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L19503, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007GL030980, 2007.
King, J. C., Turner, J., Marshall, G. J., Connolley, W. M., and Lachlan-Cope, T. A.: Antarctic Peninsula climate variability and its causes as revealed by analysis of instrumental records, Antarct. Res. Ser., 79, 17–30, https://doi.org/10.1029/AR079p0017, 2003.
Kwon, H., Choi, H., Kim, B. M., Kim, S. W., and Kim, S. J.: Recent weakening of the southern stratospheric polar vortex and its impact on the surface climate over Antarctica, Environ. Res. Lett., 15, 094072, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab9d3d, 2020.
Laffin, M. K., Zender, C. S., van Wessem, M., and Marinsek, S.: The role of föhn winds in eastern Antarctic Peninsula rapid ice shelf collapse, The Cryosphere, 16, 1369–1381, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1369-2022, 2022.
Langhorne, P. J., Squire, V. A., Fox, C., and Haskell, T. G.: Lifetime estimation for a land-fast ice sheet subjected to ocean swell, Ann. Glaciol., 33, 333, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756401781818419, 2001.
Larour, E., Rignot, E., Poinelli, M., and Scheuchl, B.: Physical processes controlling the rifting of Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctica, prior to the calving of iceberg A68, P. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 118, e2105080118, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2105080118, 2021.
Leeson, A. A., Van Wessem, J. M., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Shepherd, A., Van den Broeke, M. R., Killick, R., Skvarca, P., Marinsek, S., and Colwell, S.: Regional climate of the Larsen B embayment 1980–2014, J. Glaciol., 63, 683–690, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2017.39, 2017.
Lei, Y., Gardner, A., and Agram, P.: Autonomous Repeat Image Feature Tracking (autoRIFT) and Its Application for Tracking Ice Displacement, Remote Sens., 13, 749, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs13040749, 2021.
Li, X., Cai, W., Meehl, G. A., Chen, D., Yuan, X., Raphael, M., Holland, D. M., Ding, Q., Fogt, R. L., Markle, B. R., Wang, G., Bromwich, D. H., Turner, J., Xie, S.-P., Steig, E. J., Gille, S. T., Xiao, C., Wu, B., Lazzara, M. A., Chen, X., Stammerjohn, S., Holland, P. R., Holland, M. M., Cheng, X., Price, S. F., Wang, Z., Bitz, C. M., Shi, J., Gerber, E. P., Liang, X., Goosse, H., Yoo, C., Ding, M., Geng, L., Xin, M., Li, C., Dou, T., Liu, C., Sun, W., Wang, X., and Song, C.: Tropical teleconnection impacts on Antarctic climate changes, Nat. Rev.Earth Environ., 2, 680–698, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-021-00204-5, 2021.
Liang, K., Wang, J., Luo, H., and Yang, Q.: The role of atmospheric rivers in Antarctic sea ice variations, Geophys. Res. Lett., 50, e2022GL102588, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102588, 2023.
Massom, R. A., Giles, A. B., Fricker, H. A., Warner, R. C., Legrésy, B., Hyland, G., Young, N., and Fraser, A. D : Examining the interaction between multi-year fast ice and the Mertz Glacier Tongue, East Antarctica: Another factor in ice sheet stability?, J. Geophys. Res., 115, C12027, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JC006083, 2010.
Massom, R. A., Scambos, T. A., Bennetts, L. G., Reid, P., Squire, V. A., and Stammerjohn, S. E.: Antarctic ice shelf disintegration triggered by sea ice loss and ocean swell, Nature, 558, 383–389, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0212-1, 2018.
Matsuoka, K., Skoglund, A., Roth, G., de Pomereu, J., Griffiths, H., Headland, R., Herried, B., Katsumata, K., Le Brocq, A., Licht, K., Morgan, F., Neff, P. D., Ritz, C., Scheinert, M., Tamura, T., Van de Putte, A., van den Broeke, M., von De- schwanden, A., Deschamps-Berger, C., Van Liefferinge, B., Tronstad, S., and Melvær, Y.: Quantarctica, an integrated mapping environment for Antarctica, the Southern Ocean, and sub-Antarctic islands. Environmental Modelling & Software, 140, 105015, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.105015, 2021 (data available at: https://www.npolar.no/quantarctica/, last access: 13 March 2020).
Meehl, G. A., Arblaster, J. M., Bitz, C. M., Chung, C. T., and Teng, H.: Antarctic sea- ice expansion between 2000 and 2014 driven by tropical Pacific decadal climate variability, Nat. Geosci., 9, 590–595, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2751, 2016.
Meier, W. N., Markus, T., and Comiso, J. C.: AMSR-E/AMSR2 Unified L3 Daily 12.5 km Brightness Temperatures, Sea Ice Concentration, Motion & Snow Depth Polar Grids, Version 1. Boulder, Colorado USA, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed, Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/RA1MIJOYPK3P, 2018.
Melton, S. M., Alley, R. B., Anandakrishnan, S., Parizek, B. R., Shahin, M. G., Stearns, L. A., LeWinter, A. L., and Finnegan, D. C.: Meltwater drainage and iceberg calving observed in high-spatiotemporal resolution at Helheim Glacier, Greenland, J. Glaciol., 68, 812–828, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.141, 2022.
Mercer, J. H.: West Antarctic ice sheet and CO2 greenhouse effect: a threat of disaster, Nature, 271, 321–325, https://doi.org/10.1038/271321a0, 1978.
Miles, B. W. J., Stokes, C. R., and Jamieson, S. S. R.: Simultaneous disintegration of outlet glaciers in Porpoise Bay (Wilkes Land), East Antarctica, driven by sea ice break-up, The Cryosphere, 11, 427–442, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-427-2017, 2017.
Miles, B. W. J., Stokes, C. R., and Jamieson, S. S. R.: Velocity increases at Cook Glacier, East Antarctica, linked to ice shelf loss and a subglacial flood event, The Cryosphere, 12, 3123–3136, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3123-2018, 2018.
Moon, T., Joughin, I., and Smith, B.: Seasonal to multiyear variability of glacier surface velocity, terminus position, and sea ice/ice mélange in northwest Greenland, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf., 120, 818–833, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JF003494, 2015.
Murray, T., Selmes, N., James, T. D., Edwards, S., Martin, I., O'Farrell, T., Aspey, R., Rutt, I., Nettles, M., and Baugé, T.: Dynamics of glacier calving at the ungrounded margin of Helheim Glacier, southeast Greenland, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf., 120, 964–982, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JF003531, 2015.
Murty, T. S.: Modification of hydrographic characteristics, tides, and normial modes by ice cover, Mar. Geod., 9, 451–468, https://doi.org/10.1080/15210608509379538, 1985.
NASA: WorldView, Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS), Version 4.30.0, NASA [data set], https://worldview.earthdata.nasa.gov (last access: 1 January 2024), 2024.
Needell, C. and Holschuh, N.: Evaluating the retreat, arrest, and regrowth of Crane Glacier against marine ice cliff process models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 50, e2022GL102400, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL102400, 2023.
NSIDC: Operation IceBridge, NSIDC [data set], https://nsidc.org/data/icebridge, last access: 1 January 2024.
Ochwat, N.: NASA MODIS imagery time series, Copernicus Publications [video], https://doi.org/10.5446/66845, 2024.
Ochwat, N., Banwell, A., and Scambos, T.: Larsen B fast-ice breakout and initial glacier response, in: “State of the Climate 2023”. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, B. Am. Meteorol. Soc., 104, S349–S351, https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-23-0077.1, 2023a.
Ochwat, N., Scambos, T., Fahnestock, M., and Stammerjohn, S.: Characteristics, recent evolution, and ongoing retreat of Hunt Fjord Ice Shelf, northern Greenland, J. Glaciol., 69, 57–70, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.44, 2023b.
Orr, A., Marshall, G. J., Hunt, J. C. R., Sommeria, J., Wang, C., van Lipzig, N. P. M., Cresswell, D., and King, J. C.: Characteristics of Summer Airflow over the Antarctic Peninsula in Response to Recent Strengthening of Westerly Circumpolar Winds, J. Atmos. Sci., 65, 1396–1413, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JAS2498.1, 2008.
Parizek, B. R., Christianson, K., Alley, R. B., Voytenko, D., Vankova, I., Dixon, T. H., Walker, R. T., and Holland, D. M.: Ice-cliff failure via retrogressive slumping, Geology, 47, 449–452, https://doi.org/10.1130/G45880.1, 2019.
Pettit, E. C., Scambos, T., Truffer, M., Gudmundsson, H., and Luckman, A.: Fast-Ice/Ice-Shelf Interactions in the Larsen B Embayment. West Antarctic Ice Sheet Workshop, 5 October 2016, Sterling, VA, 2016.
Picard, G.: Snow status (wet/dry) in Antarctica from AMSR-E and AMSR2 passive microwave radiometers 2002–2023, PerSCiDO [data set], https://doi.org/10.18709/perscido.2023.04.ds391, 2023.
Picard, G., Fily, M., and Gallee, H.: Surface melting derived from microwave radiometers: A climatic indicator in Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 46, 29–34, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756407782871684, 2007.
Picard, G., Leduc-Leballeur, M., Banwell, A. F., Brucker, L., and Macelloni, G.: The sensitivity of satellite microwave observations to liquid water in the Antarctic snowpack, The Cryosphere, 16, 5061–5083, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-5061-2022, 2022.
Rack, W. and Rott, H.: Pattern of retreat and disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, Ann. Glaciol., 39, 505–510, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756404781814005, 2004.
Reeh, N., Thomsen, H., Higgins, A., and Weidick, A.: Sea ice and the stability of north and northeast Greenland floating glaciers, Ann. Glaciol., 33, 474–480, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756401781818554, 2001.
Reid, P. A. and Massom, R. A.: Change and variability in Antarctic coastal exposure, 1979–2020, Nat. Commun., 13, 1164, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-28676-z, 2022.
Rignot, E., Casassa, G., Gogineni, P., Krabill, W., Rivera, A., and Thomas, R.: Accelerated ice discharge from the Antarctic Peninsula following the collapse of Larsen B ice shelf, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L18401, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020697, 2004.
Robel, A. A.: Thinning sea ice weakens buttressing force of iceberg mélange and promotes calving, Nat. Commun., 8, 14596, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14596, 2017.
Robinson, W. H. and Haskell, T. G.: Travelling flexural waves in the Erebus Glacier Tongue, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 20, 289–293, https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-232X(92)90035-S, 1992.
Rott, H., Skvarca, P., and Nagler, T.: Rapid collapse of northern Larsen ice shelf, Antarct. Sci., 271, 788–792, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.271.5250.788, 1996.
Rott, H., Rack, W., Nagler, T., and Skvarca, P.: Climatically induced retreat and collapse of northern Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, Ann. Glaciol., 27, 86–92, https://doi.org/10.3189/S0260305500017262, 1998.
Rott, H., Abdel Jaber, W., Wuite, J., Scheiblauer, S., Floricioiu, D., van Wessem, J. M., Nagler, T., Miranda, N., and van den Broeke, M. R.: Changing pattern of ice flow and mass balance for glaciers discharging into the Larsen A and B embayments, Antarctic Peninsula, 2011 to 2016, The Cryosphere, 12, 1273–1291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1273-2018, 2018.
Rott, H., Waite, J., De Rydt, J., Gudmundsson, G. H., Floricioiu, D., and Rack, W.: Impact of marine processes on flow dynamics of northern Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers, Nat Commun., 11, 2969, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16658-y, 2020.
Scambos, T. A., Hulbe, C., Fahnestock, M., and Bohlander, J.: The link between climate warming and break-up of ice shelves in the Antarctic Peninsula, J. Glaciol., 46, 516–530, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833043, 2000.
Scambos, T., Hulbe, C., and Fahnestock, M.: Climate-induced ice shelf disintegration in the Antarctic Peninsula, in: Antarctic Peninsula Climate Variability: Historical and Paleoenvironmental Perspectives. Antarctic Research Series, 79, edited by: Domack, E., Leventer, A., Burnett, A., Bindschadler, R., Convey, P., and Kirby, M., AGU, Washington, DC, 79–92, https://doi.org/10.1029/AR079p0079, 2003.
Scambos, T., Fricker, H. A., Liu, C. C., Bohlander, J., Fastook, J., Sargent, A., Massom, R., and Wu, A. M.: Ice shelf disintegration by plate bending and hydro-fracture: Satellite observations and model results of the 2008 Wilkins ice shelf break-ups, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 280, 51–60, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2008.12.027, 2009.
Scambos, T., Moussavi, M. S., Abdalati, W., and Pettit, E. C.: December. Evolution of fast ice thickness from Cryosat-2 radar altimetry data, a case study in Scar Inlet, Antarctica, AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts, vol. 2017, C21G-1181, 2017.
Scambos, T. A., Bohlander, J. A., Shuman, C. A., and Skvarca, P.: Glacier acceleration and thinning after ice shelf collapse in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31, L18402, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004GL020670, 2004.
Scambos, T. A., Berthier, E., and Shuman, C. A.: The triggering of subglacial lake drainage during rapid glacier drawdown: Crane Glacier, Antarctic Peninsula, Ann. Glaciol., 52, 74–82, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756411799096204, 2011.
Scambos, T. A., Ross, R., Haran, T., Bauer, R., Ainley, D.G., Seo, K.W., De Keyser, M., Behar, A., and MacAyeal, D.R.: A camera and multisensor automated station design for polar physical and biological systems monitoring: AMIGOS, J. Glaciol., 59, 303–314, https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J170, 2013.
Seehaus, T., Sommer, C., Dethinne, T., and Malz, P.: Mass changes of the northern Antarctic Peninsula Ice Sheet derived from repeat bi-static synthetic aperture radar acquisitions for the period 2013–2017, The Cryosphere, 17, 4629–4644, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4629-2023, 2023.
Shields, C. A., Wille, J. D., Marquardt Collow, A. B., Maclennan, M., and Gorodetskaya, I. V.: Evaluating uncertainty and modes of variability for Antarctic atmospheric rivers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL099577, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099577, 2022.
Shuman, C., Scambos, T., and Berthier, E.: Ice loss processes in the Seal Nunataks ice shelf region from satellite altimetry and imagery, Ann. Glaciol., 57, 94–104, https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2016.29, 2016.
Shuman, C. A., Berthier, E., and Scambos, T. A.: 2001–2009 Elevation and mass losses in the Larsen A and B embayments, Antarctic Peninsula, J. Glaciol., 57, 737–754, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311797409811, 2011.
Skvarca, P., Rack, W., Rott, H., and Donángelo, T. I.: Climatic trend and the retreat and disintegration of ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula: an overview, Polar Res., 18, 151–157, 1999.
Smith, B., Fricker, H. A., Gardner, A. S., Medley, B., Nilsson, J., Paolo, F. S., Holschuh, N., Adusumilli, S., Brunt, K., Csatho, B., and Harbeck, K.: Pervasive ice sheet mass loss reflects competing ocean and atmosphere processes, Science, 368, 239–1242, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaz5845, 2020.
Smith, B., Adusumilli, S., Csathó, B. M., Felikson, D., Fricker, H. A., Gardner, A., Holschuh, N., Lee, J., Nilsson, J., Paolo, F. S., Siegfried, M. R., Sutterley, T., and the ICESat-2 Science Team: ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Land Ice Height, Version 5, Boulder, Colorado USA, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/ATLAS/ATL06.005, 2021.
Smith, B., Adusumilli, S., Csathó, B. M., Felikson, D., Fricker, H. A., Gardner, A., Holschuh, N., Lee, J., Nilsson, J., Paolo, F. S., Siegfried, M. R., Sutterley, T., and the ICESat-2 Science Team: ATLAS/ICESat-2 L3A Land Ice Height, Version 6, Boulder, Colorado USA. NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/ATLAS/ATL06.006, 2023.
Spreen, G., Kaleschke, L., and Heygster, G.: Sea ice remote sensing using AMSR-E 89 GHz channels, J. Geophys. Res., 113, C02S03, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JC003384, 2008 (data available at: https://seaice.uni-bremen.de/sea-ice-concentration/amsre-amsr2, last access: 1 April 2023).
Squire, V. A.: Of ocean waves and sea-ice revisited, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 49, 110, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2007.04.007, 2007.
Studinger, M.: Pre-IceBridge ATM L1B Qfit Elevation and Return Strength, Version 1, Boulder, Colorado USA, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center Distributed Active Archive Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/8Q93SAT2LG3Q, 2012.
Sun, Y., Riel, B., and Minchew, B.: Disintegration and buttressing effect of the landfast sea ice in the Larsen B embayment, Antarctic Peninsula, Geophys. Res. Lett., 50, e2023GL104066, https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104066, 2023.
Surawy-Stepney, T., Hogg, A. E., Cornford, S. L., Wallis, B. J., Davison, B. J., Selley, H. L., Slater, R. A. W., Lie, E. K., Jakob, L., Ridout, A. L., Gourmelen, N., Freer, B. I. D., Wilson, S. F., and Shepherd, A.: The impact of landfast sea ice buttressing on ice dynamic speedup in the Larsen-B Embayment, Antarctica, The Cryosphere Discuss. [preprint], https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2023-128, in review, 2023.
Teder, N. J., Bennetts, L. G., Reid, P. A., and Massom, R. A.: Sea ice-free corridors for large swell to reach Antarctic ice shelves, Environ. Res. Lett., 17, 045026, https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac5edd, 2022.
Torinesi, O., Fily, M., and Genthon, C.: Variability and Trends of the Summer Melt Period of Antarctic Ice Margins since 1980 from Microwave Sensors, J. Climate, 16, 1047–1060, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(2003)016<1047:VATOTS>2.0.CO;2, 2003.
Tuckett, P. A., Ely, J. C., Sole, A. J., Livingstone, S. J., Davison, B. J., and van Wessem, J. M.: Reply to: “Impact of marine processes on flow dynamics of northern Antarctic Peninsula outlet glaciers” by Rott et al., Nat. Commun., 11, 2970, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16685-9, 2020.
Turner, J., Lu, H., White, I., King, J. C., Phillips, T., Hosking, J. S., Bracegirdle, T. J., Marshall, G. J., Mulvaney, R., and Deb, P.: Absence of 21st century warming on Antarctic Peninsula consistent with natural variability, Nature, 535, 411–415, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature18645, 2016.
Turner, J., Holmes, C., Caton Harrison, T., Phillips, T., Jena, B., Reeves-Francois, T., Fogt, R., Thomas, E. R., and Bajish, C.: Record low Antarctic sea ice cover in February 2022, Geophys. Res. Lett., 49, e2022GL098904, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL098904, 2022.
van Lipzig, N. P. M., Marshall, G. J., Orr, A., and King, J. C.: The Relationship between the Southern Hemisphere Annular Mode and Antarctic Peninsula Summer Temperatures: Analysis of a High-Resolution Model Climatology, J. Climate, 21, 1649–1668, https://doi.org/10.1175/2007JCLI1695.1, 2008.
Van Wessem, J. M., Reijmer, C. H., Van De Berg, W. J., van Den Broeke, M. R., Cook, A. J., Van Ulft, L. H., and Van Meijgaard, E.: Temperature and wind climate of the Antarctic Peninsula as simulated by a high-resolution Regional Atmospheric Climate Model, J. Climate, 28, 7306–7326, https://doi.org/10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0060.1, 2015.
Vaughan, D. G., Marshall, G. J., Connolley, W. M., Parkinson, C., Mulvaney, R., Hodgson, D. A., King, J. C., Pudsey, C. J., and Turner, J.: Recent Rapid Regional Climate Warming on the Antarctic Peninsula, Clim. Change, 60, 243–274, https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1026021217991, 2003.
Wellner, J. S., Scambos, T., Domack, E. W., Vernet, M., Leventer, A., Balco, G., Brachfeld, S., Cape, M. R., Huber, B., Ishman, S., and McCormick, M. L.: The Larsen ice shelf system, Antarctica (LARISSA): Polar systems bound together, changing fast, GSA Today, 29, 4–10, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG382A.1, 2019.
Wille, J. D., Favier, V., Dufour, A., Gorodetskaya, I. V., Turner, J., Agosta, C., and Codron, F.: West Antarctic surface melt triggered by atmospheric rivers, Nat. Geosci., 12, 911–916, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-019-0460-1, 2019.
Wille, J. D., Favier, V., Gorodetskaya, I. V., Agosta, C., Kittel, C., Beeman, J. C., Jourdain, N. C., Lenaerts, J. T. M., and Codron, F.: Antarctic atmospheric river climatology and precipitation impacts, J. Geophys.-Atmos., 126, e2020JD033788, https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JD033788, 2021.
Wille, J. D., Favier, V., Jourdain, N. C., Kittel, C., Turton, J. V., Agosta, C., Gorodetskaya, I. V., Picard, G., Codron, F., Santos, C. L.-D., Amory, C., Fettweis, X., Blanchet, J., Jomelli, V., and Berchet, A.: Intense atmospheric rivers can weaken ice shelf stability at the Antarctic Peninsula, Nat. Commun. Earth Environ., 3, 90, https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-022-00422-9, 2022.
Wuite, J., Rott, H., Hetzenecker, M., Floricioiu, D., De Rydt, J., Gudmundsson, G. H., Nagler, T., and Kern, M.: Evolution of surface velocities and ice discharge of Larsen B outlet glaciers from 1995 to 2013, The Cryosphere, 9, 957–969, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-957-2015, 2015.
Young, N., Turner, D., Hyland, G., and Williams, R.: Near-coastal iceberg distributions in East Antarctica, 50–145° E, Ann. Glaciol, 27, 68–74, https://doi.org/10.3189/1998AoG27-1-68-74, 1998.
Zagorodnov, V., Nagornov, O., Scambos, T. A., Muto, A., Mosley-Thompson, E., Pettit, E. C., and Tyuflin, S.: Borehole temperatures reveal details of 20th century warming at Bruce Plateau, Antarctic Peninsula, The Cryosphere, 6, 675–686, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-675-2012, 2012.
Short summary
On the Antarctic Peninsula, there is a small bay that had sea ice fastened to the shoreline (
fast ice) for over a decade. The fast ice stabilized the glaciers that fed into the ocean. In January 2022, the fast ice broke away. Using satellite data we found that this was because of low sea ice concentrations and a high long-period ocean wave swell. We find that the glaciers have responded to this event by thinning, speeding up, and retreating by breaking off lots of icebergs at remarkable rates.
On the Antarctic Peninsula, there is a small bay that had sea ice fastened to the shoreline...