Articles | Volume 18, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-3699-2024
© 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-18-3699-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Aug 2024
Research article |
| 20 Aug 2024
| 20 Aug 2024
Misidentified subglacial lake beneath the Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic: a new interpretation from seismic and electromagnetic data
Siobhan F. Killingbeck
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Anja Rutishauser
Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland, Copenhagen, Denmark
Martyn J. Unsworth
Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
Ashley Dubnick
YukonU Research Centre, Yukon University, 520 College Drive, Whitehorse, YT, Y1A 5N5, Canada
Alison S. Criscitiello
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
James Killingbeck
independent researcher
Christine F. Dow
Department of Geography and Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada
Tim Hill
Department of Earth Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
Adam D. Booth
School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Brittany Main
Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
Eric Brossier
independent researcher
Related authors
No articles found.
Adam J. Hepburn, Sammie Buzzard, Andrew J. Sole, Stephen J. Livingstone, Felix Ng, Mathieu Morlighem, Elizabeth A. Bagshaw, Caroline Clason, Lisa Craw, Christine Dow, Samuel Doyle, Jonathan Hawkins, Matthew Peacey, and Robert Storrar
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2948, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2948, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Lakes at glacier margins can drain beneath the ice in sudden, devastating, floods called jökulhlaup. We present the first 2D model of jökulhlaup propagation, first applying it to a synthetic glacier, before then assessing its ability to reproduce an observed record of lake fill-drain cycles in Greenland. Our results match a 17-year record of flood timing but underpredicts peak discharge likely because we are missing certain physical processes. Our results hold promise for simulating jökulhlaup.
Ilaria Santin, Huw J. Horgan, Raphael Moser, Nanna Bjørnholt Karlsson, Faezeh M. Nick, Andreas Vieli, Anja Rutishauser, Hansruedi Maurer, and Daniel Farinotti
The Cryosphere, 20, 3435–3441, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3435-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3435-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Ice thickness near Greenland’s coast is still poorly measured, yet it is vital for predicting sea level rise. We flew a helicopter ice-penetrating radar over three outlet glaciers in southern Greenland and mapped the glacier bed where basal reflections were clear. We measured ice up to about 340 meters thick, with reliable penetration typically to about 300 meters, providing new constraints that can improve regional bed maps.
Jing Zhang, Yang Lei, Laurane Charrier, Amaury Dehecq, Alex S. Gardner, Luke Copland, and Christine Dow
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2541, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2541, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Satellites can measure how fast glaciers move, which helps scientists understand ice loss and rising sea levels. However, these measurements have rarely been checked against ground-based observations on small mountain glaciers. We compared satellite-derived glacier speeds against precise ground measurements. The satellite data generally agreed well with ground observations. Our results help scientists use satellite glacier velocity data more reliably.
Ingalise Kindstedt, Andrew Johnson, Kristin M. Schild, Luke Copland, Christine Dow, Alison Criscitiello, Dominic Winski, Karl Kreutz, and Seth Campbell
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2431, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-2431, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for The Cryosphere (TC).
Short summary
Short summary
Mountain snow at high elevations is changing as warming causes more melting and water to linger within it. We use satellite radar images from 2015 to 2024 to track when melting starts and when snow refreezes across the Wrangell and St. Elias Mountains on the border of Alaska and Yukon. We find that melting now reaches nearly all elevations, and water often remains trapped well into fall. Only the highest areas stay fully dry, showing widespread impacts of warming on mountain snowpacks.
Robert S. Fausto, Penelope How, Baptiste Vandecrux, Mads C. Lund, Jason E. Box, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Signe B. Andersen, Dirk van As, Rasmus Bahbah, Michele Citterio, William Colgan, Henrik T. Jakobsgaard, Nanna B. Karlsson, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Signe H. Larsen, Charlotte Olsen, Falk M. Oraschewski, Anja Rutishauser, Christopher L. Shields, Anne M. Solgaard, Ian T. Stevens, Synne H. Svendsen, Kirsty Langley, Alexandra Messerli, Anders A. Bjørk, Jonas K. Andersen, Jakob Abermann, Jakob Steiner, Rainer Prinz, Berhard Hynek, James M. Lea, Stephen Brough, and Andreas P. Ahlstrøm
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 18, 2829–2873, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2829-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-18-2829-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
In summary, the PROMICE (Programme for Monitoring of the Greenland Ice Sheet ) | GC-NET AWS (Greenland Climate Network automatic weather station) data product update represents a significant advancement in Arctic climate monitoring. Through enhanced station designs, state-of-the-art instrumentation, and a transparent, automated data processing workflow, the dataset offers an essential resource for studying the Greenland Ice Sheet and its periphery, validating climate models, and supporting global assessments of cryospheric change.
Tim Hill, Matthew J. Hoffman, Gwenn E. Flowers, and Derek Bingham
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-343, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-343, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Ice-sheet projections that inform sea-level estimates are often missing hydrology-related changes in flow. To overcome computational and logistical challenges of modelling these processes, we construct a machine-learning parameterization that is trained on simulations with a popular subglacial hydrology model. The parameterization closely reproduces ice-sheet speeds predicted by the expensive physics-based model and corrects ice-sheet speeds that are overestimated using conventional approaches.
Penelope How, Dorthe Petersen, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Katrine Raundrup, Nanna B. Karlsson, Alexandra Messerli, Anja Rutishauser, Jonathan L. Carrivick, James M. Lea, Robert S. Fausto, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, and Signe B. Andersen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 17, 6331–6351, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6331-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-17-6331-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We mapped 2918 ice-marginal lakes across Greenland (2016–2023), revealing changes in size, abundance and temperature. This open dataset improves understanding of terrestrial water storage, glacier dynamics, and Arctic ecology, supporting research on sea level rise, glacier-lake interactions, and sustainable resource planning including hydropower development under Greenland’s climate commitments.
Robert G. Bingham, Julien A. Bodart, Marie G. P. Cavitte, Ailsa Chung, Rebecca J. Sanderson, Johannes C. R. Sutter, Olaf Eisen, Nanna B. Karlsson, Joseph A. MacGregor, Neil Ross, Duncan A. Young, David W. Ashmore, Andreas Born, Winnie Chu, Xiangbin Cui, Reinhard Drews, Steven Franke, Vikram Goel, John W. Goodge, A. Clara J. Henry, Antoine Hermant, Benjamin H. Hills, Nicholas Holschuh, Michelle R. Koutnik, Gwendolyn J.-M. C. Leysinger Vieli, Emma J. MacKie, Elisa Mantelli, Carlos Martín, Felix S. L. Ng, Falk M. Oraschewski, Felipe Napoleoni, Frédéric Parrenin, Sergey V. Popov, Therese Rieckh, Rebecca Schlegel, Dustin M. Schroeder, Martin J. Siegert, Xueyuan Tang, Thomas O. Teisberg, Kate Winter, Shuai Yan, Harry Davis, Christine F. Dow, Tyler J. Fudge, Tom A. Jordan, Bernd Kulessa, Kenichi Matsuoka, Clara J. Nyqvist, Maryam Rahnemoonfar, Matthew R. Siegfried, Shivangini Singh, Vjeran Višnjević, Rodrigo Zamora, and Alexandra Zuhr
The Cryosphere, 19, 4611–4655, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4611-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4611-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
The ice sheets covering Antarctica have built up over millenia through successive snowfall events which become buried and preserved as internal surfaces of equal age detectable with ice-penetrating radar. This paper describes an international initiative working together on these archival data to build a comprehensive 3-D picture of how old the ice is everywhere across Antarctica and how this is being used to reconstruct past and to predict future ice and climate behaviour.
Laurane Charrier, Amaury Dehecq, Lei Guo, Fanny Brun, Romain Millan, Nathan Lioret, Luke Copland, Nathan Maier, Christine Dow, and Paul Halas
The Cryosphere, 19, 4555–4583, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4555-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4555-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
While global annual glacier velocities are openly accessible, sub-annual velocity time series are still lacking. This hinders our ability to understand flow processes and the integration of these observations in numerical models. We introduce an open source Python package called TICOI (Temporal Inversion using linear Combinations of Observations, and Interpolation) to fuse multi-temporal and multi-sensor image-pair velocities produced by different processing chains to produce standardized sub-annual velocity products.
Neil Ross, Rebecca J. Sanderson, Bernd Kulessa, Martin Siegert, Guy J. G. Paxman, Keir A. Nichols, Matthew R. Siegfried, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, Michael J. Bentley, Tom A. Jordan, Christine L. Batchelor, David Small, Olaf Eisen, Kate Winter, Robert G. Bingham, S. Louise Callard, Rachel Carr, Christine F. Dow, Helen A. Fricker, Emily Hill, Benjamin H. Hills, Coen Hofstede, Hafeez Jeofry, Felipe Napoleoni, and Wilson Sauthoff
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3625, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-3625, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We review previous research into a group of fast-flowing Antarctic ice streams, the Foundation-Patuxent-Academy System. Previously, we knew relatively little how these ice streams flow, how they interact with the ocean, what their geological history was, and how they might evolve in a warming world. By reviewing existing information on these ice streams, we identify the future research needed to determine how they function, and their potential contribution to global sea level rise.
Tim Hill, Derek Bingham, Gwenn E. Flowers, and Matthew J. Hoffman
Geosci. Model Dev., 18, 4045–4074, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4045-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-18-4045-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Subglacial drainage models represent water flow beneath glaciers and ice sheets. Here, we train fast statistical models called Gaussian process (GP) emulators to accelerate subglacial drainage modelling by ~ 1000 times. We use the fast emulator predictions to show that three of the model parameters are responsible for > 90 % of the variance in model outputs. The fast GP emulators will enable future uncertainty quantification and calibration of these models.
Kirk M. Scanlan, Anja Rutishauser, and Sebastian B. Simonsen
The Cryosphere, 19, 1221–1239, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1221-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-1221-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
An ice sheet's surface modulates its response to climate change, and it is therefore critical to monitor how it evolves through time. Here, we investigate novel measurements of Greenland surface roughness based on the strength of reflected local airborne and pan-Greenland satellite radar signals. These measurements respond to roughness at scales typically larger than those considered in mass balance modelling while highlighting the scale dependency of surface roughness that is often overlooked.
Adam J. Hepburn, Christine F. Dow, Antti Ojala, Joni Mäkinen, Elina Ahokangas, Jussi Hovikoski, Jukka-Pekka Palmu, and Kari Kajuutti
The Cryosphere, 18, 4873–4916, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4873-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-4873-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Terrain formerly occupied by ice sheets in the last ice age allows us to parameterize models of basal water flow using terrain and data unavailable beneath current ice sheets. Using GlaDS, a 2D basal hydrology model, we explore the origin of murtoos, a specific landform found throughout Finland that is thought to mark the upper limit of channels beneath the ice. Our results validate many of the predictions of murtoo origins and demonstrate that such models can be used to explore past ice sheets.
Signe Hillerup Larsen, Daniel Binder, Anja Rutishauser, Bernhard Hynek, Robert Schjøtt Fausto, and Michele Citterio
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 4103–4118, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-4103-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ecosystem Monitoring programme has been running since 1995. In 2008, the Glaciological monitoring sub-program GlacioBasis was initiated at the Zackenberg site in northeast Greenland, with a transect of three weather stations on the A. P. Olsen Ice Cap. In 2022, the weather stations were replaced with a more standardized set up. Here, we provide the reprocessed and quality-checked data from 2008 to 2022, i.e., the first 15 years of continued monitoring.
Xin Yang, Kimberly Strong, Alison S. Criscitiello, Marta Santos-Garcia, Kristof Bognar, Xiaoyi Zhao, Pierre Fogal, Kaley A. Walker, Sara M. Morris, and Peter Effertz
Atmos. Chem. Phys., 24, 5863–5886, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5863-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/acp-24-5863-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study uses snow samples collected from a Canadian high Arctic site, Eureka, to demonstrate that surface snow in early spring is a net sink of atmospheric bromine and nitrogen. Surface snow bromide and nitrate are significantly correlated, indicating the oxidation of reactive nitrogen is accelerated by reactive bromine. In addition, we show evidence that snow photochemical release of reactive bromine is very weak, and its emission flux is much smaller than the deposition flux of bromide.
Anja Rutishauser, Kirk M. Scanlan, Baptiste Vandecrux, Nanna B. Karlsson, Nicolas Jullien, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, Robert S. Fausto, and Penelope How
The Cryosphere, 18, 2455–2472, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2455-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-2455-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Ice Sheet interior is covered by a layer of firn, which is important for surface meltwater runoff and contributions to global sea-level rise. Here, we combine airborne radar sounding and laser altimetry measurements to delineate vertically homogeneous and heterogeneous firn. Our results reveal changes in firn between 2011–2019, aligning well with known climatic events. This approach can be used to outline firn areas primed for significantly changing future meltwater runoff.
Tessa R. Vance, Nerilie J. Abram, Alison S. Criscitiello, Camilla K. Crockart, Aylin DeCampo, Vincent Favier, Vasileios Gkinis, Margaret Harlan, Sarah L. Jackson, Helle A. Kjær, Chelsea A. Long, Meredith K. Nation, Christopher T. Plummer, Delia Segato, Andrea Spolaor, and Paul T. Vallelonga
Clim. Past, 20, 969–990, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-969-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-969-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents the chronologies from the new Mount Brown South ice cores from East Antarctica, which were developed by counting annual layers in the ice core data and aligning these to volcanic sulfate signatures. The uncertainty in the dating is quantified, and we discuss initial results from seasonal cycle analysis and mean annual concentrations. The chronologies will underpin the development of new proxy records for East Antarctica spanning the past millennium.
Christine F. Dow, Derek Mueller, Peter Wray, Drew Friedrichs, Alexander L. Forrest, Jasmin B. McInerney, Jamin Greenbaum, Donald D. Blankenship, Choon Ki Lee, and Won Sang Lee
The Cryosphere, 18, 1105–1123, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1105-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1105-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Ice shelves are a key control on Antarctic contribution to sea level rise. We examine the Nansen Ice Shelf in East Antarctica using a combination of field-based and satellite data. We find the basal topography of the ice shelf is highly variable, only partially visible in satellite datasets. We also find that the thinnest region of the ice shelf is altered over time by ice flow rates and ocean melting. These processes can cause fractures to form that eventually result in large calving events.
Lingwei Zhang, Tessa R. Vance, Alexander D. Fraser, Lenneke M. Jong, Sarah S. Thompson, Alison S. Criscitiello, and Nerilie J. Abram
The Cryosphere, 17, 5155–5173, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5155-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-5155-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Physical features in ice cores provide unique records of past variability. We identified 1–2 mm ice layers without bubbles in surface ice cores from Law Dome, East Antarctica, occurring on average five times per year. The origin of these bubble-free layers is unknown. In this study, we investigate whether they have the potential to record past atmospheric processes and circulation. We find that the bubble-free layers are linked to accumulation hiatus events and meridional moisture transport.
Baptiste Vandecrux, Jason E. Box, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm, Signe B. Andersen, Nicolas Bayou, William T. Colgan, Nicolas J. Cullen, Robert S. Fausto, Dominik Haas-Artho, Achim Heilig, Derek A. Houtz, Penelope How, Ionut Iosifescu Enescu, Nanna B. Karlsson, Rebecca Kurup Buchholz, Kenneth D. Mankoff, Daniel McGrath, Noah P. Molotch, Bianca Perren, Maiken K. Revheim, Anja Rutishauser, Kevin Sampson, Martin Schneebeli, Sandy Starkweather, Simon Steffen, Jeff Weber, Patrick J. Wright, Henry Jay Zwally, and Konrad Steffen
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 5467–5489, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5467-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-5467-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The Greenland Climate Network (GC-Net) comprises stations that have been monitoring the weather on the Greenland Ice Sheet for over 30 years. These stations are being replaced by newer ones maintained by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS). The historical data were reprocessed to improve their quality, and key information about the weather stations has been compiled. This augmented dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.22008/FK2/VVXGUT (Steffen et al., 2022).
Koi McArthur, Felicity S. McCormack, and Christine F. Dow
The Cryosphere, 17, 4705–4727, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4705-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4705-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Using subglacial hydrology model outputs for Denman Glacier, East Antarctica, we investigated the effects of various friction laws and effective pressure inputs on ice dynamics modeling over the same glacier. The Schoof friction law outperformed the Budd friction law, and effective pressure outputs from the hydrology model outperformed a typically prescribed effective pressure. We propose an empirical prescription of effective pressure to be used in the absence of hydrology model outputs.
Felicity S. McCormack, Jason L. Roberts, Bernd Kulessa, Alan Aitken, Christine F. Dow, Lawrence Bird, Benjamin K. Galton-Fenzi, Katharina Hochmuth, Richard S. Jones, Andrew N. Mackintosh, and Koi McArthur
The Cryosphere, 17, 4549–4569, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4549-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4549-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Changes in Antarctic surface elevation can cause changes in ice and basal water flow, impacting how much ice enters the ocean. We find that ice and basal water flow could divert from the Totten to the Vanderford Glacier, East Antarctica, under only small changes in the surface elevation, with implications for estimates of ice loss from this region. Further studies are needed to determine when this could occur and if similar diversions could occur elsewhere in Antarctica due to climate change.
Whyjay Zheng, Shashank Bhushan, Maximillian Van Wyk De Vries, William Kochtitzky, David Shean, Luke Copland, Christine Dow, Renette Jones-Ivey, and Fernando Pérez
The Cryosphere, 17, 4063–4078, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4063-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4063-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We design and propose a method that can evaluate the quality of glacier velocity maps. The method includes two numbers that we can calculate for each velocity map. Based on statistics and ice flow physics, velocity maps with numbers close to the recommended values are considered to have good quality. We test the method using the data from Kaskawulsh Glacier, Canada, and release an open-sourced software tool called GLAcier Feature Tracking testkit (GLAFT) to help users assess their velocity maps.
Tim Hill and Christine F. Dow
The Cryosphere, 17, 2607–2624, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2607-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-2607-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Water flow across the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet controls the rate of water flow to the glacier bed. Here, we simulate surface water flow for a small catchment on the southwestern Greenland Ice Sheet. Our simulations predict significant differences in the form of surface water flow in high and low melt years depending on the rate and intensity of surface melt. These model outputs will be important in future work assessing the impact of surface water flow on subglacial water pressure.
Kristian Chan, Cyril Grima, Anja Rutishauser, Duncan A. Young, Riley Culberg, and Donald D. Blankenship
The Cryosphere, 17, 1839–1852, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1839-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-1839-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Climate warming has led to more surface meltwater produced on glaciers that can refreeze in firn to form ice layers. Our work evaluates the use of dual-frequency ice-penetrating radar to characterize these ice layers on the Devon Ice Cap. Results indicate that they are meters thick and widespread, and thus capable of supporting lateral meltwater runoff from the top of ice layers. We find that some of this meltwater runoff could be routed through supraglacial rivers in the ablation zone.
Xin Yang, Kimberly Strong, Alison S. Criscitiello, Marta Santos-Garcia, Kristof Bognar, Xiaoyi Zhao, Pierre Fogal, Kaley A. Walker, Sara M. Morris, and Peter Effertz
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-696, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-696, 2022
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Snow pack in high Arctic plays a key role in polar atmospheric chemistry, especially in spring when photochemistry becomes active. By sampling surface snow from a Canadian high Arctic location at Eureka, Nunavut (80° N, 86° W), we demonstrate that surface snow is a net sink rather than a source of atmospheric reactive bromine and nitrate. This finding is new and opposite to previous conclusions that snowpack is a large and direct source of reactive bromine in polar spring.
Anja Rutishauser, Donald D. Blankenship, Duncan A. Young, Natalie S. Wolfenbarger, Lucas H. Beem, Mark L. Skidmore, Ashley Dubnick, and Alison S. Criscitiello
The Cryosphere, 16, 379–395, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-379-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-379-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Recently, a hypersaline subglacial lake complex was hypothesized to lie beneath Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic. Here, we present results from a follow-on targeted aerogeophysical survey. Our results support the evidence for a hypersaline subglacial lake and reveal an extensive brine network, suggesting more complex subglacial hydrological conditions than previously inferred. This hypersaline system may host microbial habitats, making it a compelling analog for bines on other icy worlds.
Camilla K. Crockart, Tessa R. Vance, Alexander D. Fraser, Nerilie J. Abram, Alison S. Criscitiello, Mark A. J. Curran, Vincent Favier, Ailie J. E. Gallant, Christoph Kittel, Helle A. Kjær, Andrew R. Klekociuk, Lenneke M. Jong, Andrew D. Moy, Christopher T. Plummer, Paul T. Vallelonga, Jonathan Wille, and Lingwei Zhang
Clim. Past, 17, 1795–1818, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-1795-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-17-1795-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present preliminary analyses of the annual sea salt concentrations and snowfall accumulation in a new East Antarctic ice core, Mount Brown South. We compare this record with an updated Law Dome (Dome Summit South site) ice core record over the period 1975–2016. The Mount Brown South record preserves a stronger and inverse signal for the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (in austral winter and spring) compared to the Law Dome record (in summer).
Trude Eidhammer, Adam Booth, Sven Decker, Lu Li, Michael Barlage, David Gochis, Roy Rasmussen, Kjetil Melvold, Atle Nesje, and Stefan Sobolowski
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4275–4297, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4275-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4275-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We coupled a detailed snow–ice model (Crocus) to represent glaciers in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Hydro model and tested it on a well-studied glacier. Several observational systems were used to evaluate the system, i.e., satellites, ground-penetrating radar (used over the glacier for snow depth) and stake observations for glacier mass balance and discharge measurements in rivers from the glacier. Results showed improvements in the streamflow projections when including the model.
Cited articles
Booth, A. D., Clark, R. A., Kulessa, B., Murray, T., Carter, J., Doyle, S., and Hubbard, A.: Thin-layer effects in glaciological seismic amplitude-versus-angle (AVA) analysis: implications for characterising a subglacial till unit, Russell Glacier, West Greenland, The Cryosphere, 6, 909–922, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-909-2012, 2012.
Bowling, J. S., Livingstone, S. J., Sole, A. J., and Chu, W.: Distribution and dynamics of Greenland subglacial lakes, Nat. Commun., 10, 2810, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10821-w, 2019.
Brown, W. S.: Physical properties of seawater. Springer handbook of ocean engineering, 101–110, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-16649-0_5, 2016.
Burgess, D. O., Sharp, M. J., Mair, D. W., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Benham, T. J.: Flow dynamics and iceberg calving rates of Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada, J. Glaciol., 51, 219–230, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756505781829430, 2005.
Caldwell, T. G., Bibby, H. M., and Brown, C.: The magnetotelluric phase tensor, Geophys. J. Int., 158, 457–469, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.2004.02281.x, 2004.
Carter, S. P., Blankenship, D. D., Peters, M. E., Young, D. A., Holt, J. W., and Morse, D. L.: Radar-based subglacial lake classification in Antarctica, Geoche. Geophy. Geosy., 8, Q03016, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006gc001408, 2007.
Christner, B. C., Priscu, J. C., Achberger, A. M., Barbante, C., Carter, S. P., Christianson, K., Michaud, A. B., Mikucki, J. A., Mitchell, A. C., Skidmore, M. L., and Vick-Majors, T. J.: A microbial ecosystem beneath the West Antarctic ice sheet, Nature, 512, 310–313, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature13841, 2014.
Chu, W., Hilger, A. M., Culberg, R., Schroeder, D. M., Jordan, T. M., Seroussi, H., Young, D. A., Blankenship, D. D., and Vaughan, D. G.: Multisystem synthesis of radar sounding observations of the Amundsen Sea sector from the 2004–2005 field season, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 126, e2021JF006296, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jf006296, 2021.
CReSIS: Operation IceBridge MCoRDS radar data (2011, 2012), Lawrence, Kansas, USA, Digital Media, http://data.cresis.ku.edu (last access: 26 January 2023), 2024.
Criscitiello, A. S., Geldsetzer, T., Rhodes, R. H., Arienzo, M., McConnell, J., Chellman, N., Osman, M. B., Yackel, J. J., and Marshall, S.: Marine Aerosol Records of Arctic Sea-Ice and Polynya Variability From New Ellesmere and Devon Island Firn Cores, Nunavut, Canada, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 126, e2021JC017205, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jc017205, 2021 (data available at: https://bit.ly/3k6UCua, last access: 26 January 2023).
Cuffey, K. M. and Paterson, W. S. B.: The physics of glaciers, Academic Press, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214311796405906, 2010.
Egbert, G. D.: Robust multiple-station magnetotelluric data processing, Geophys. J. Int., 130, 475–496, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-246x.1997.tb05663.x, 1997.
Gades, A. M., Raymond, C. F., Conway, H., and Jagobel, R. W.: Bed Properties of Siple Dome and Adjacent Ice Streams, West Antarctica, Inferred from Radio-Echo Sounding Measurements, J. Glaciol. 46, 88–94, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756500781833467, 2000.
Gardner, A. S., Sharp, M. J., Koerner, R. M., Labine, C., Boon, S., Marshall, S. J., Burgess, D. O., and Lewis, D.: Near-Surface Temperature Lapse Rates over Arctic Glaciers and Their Implications for Temperature Downscaling, J. Climate. 22, 4281–4298, https://doi.org/10.1175/2009jcli2845.1, 2009.
Grasby, S. E., Jessop, A., Kelman, M., Ko, M., Chen, Z., Allen, D. M., Bell, S., Ferguson, G., Majorowicz, J., Moore, M., and Raymond, J.: Geothermal Energy Resource Potential of Canada, Geological Survey of Canada, Open File (Revised) 6914, https://doi.org/10.4095/291488, 2012.
Grombacher, D., Auken, E., Foged, N., Bording, T., Foley, N., Doran, P. T., Mikucki, J., Dugan, H. A., Garza-Giron, R., Myers, K., and Virginia, R. A.: Induced polarization effects in airborne transient electromagnetic data collected in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica, Geophys. J. Int., 226, 1574–1583, https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggab148, 2021.
Gustafson, C. D., Key, K., Siegfried, M. R., Winberry, J. P., Fricker, H. A., Venturelli, R. A., and Michaud, A. B.: A dynamic saline groundwater system mapped beneath an Antarctic ice stream, Science, 376, 640–644, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abm3301, 2022.
Hofstede, C., Wilhelms, F., Neckel, N., Fritzsche, D., Beyer, S., Hubbard, A., Pettersson, R., and Eisen, O.: The subglacial lake that wasn't there: Improved interpretation from seismic data reveals a sediment bedform at Isunnguata Sermia, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 128, e2022JF006850, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022jf006850, 2023.
Horgan, H. J., Anandakrishnan, S., Jacobel, R. W., Christianson, K., Alley, R. B., Heeszel, D. S., Picotti, S., and Walter, J. I.: Subglacial Lake Whillans – Seismic observations of a shallow active reservoir beneath a West Antarctic ice stream, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 331, 201–209, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2012.02.023, 2012.
Horgan, H. J., van Haastrecht, L., Alley, R. B., Anandakrishnan, S., Beem, L. H., Christianson, K., Muto, A., and Siegfried, M. R.: Grounding zone subglacial properties from calibrated active-source seismic methods, The Cryosphere, 15, 1863–1880, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-1863-2021, 2021.
Jordan, T. M., Bamber, J. L., Williams, C. N., Paden, J. D., Siegert, M. J., Huybrechts, P., Gagliardini, O., and Gillet-Chaulet, F.: An ice-sheet-wide framework for englacial attenuation from ice-penetrating radar data, The Cryosphere, 10, 1547–1570, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-1547-2016, 2016.
Jordan, T. M., Cooper, M. A., Schroeder, D. M., Williams, C. N., Paden, J. D., Siegert, M. J., and Bamber, J. L.: Self-affine subglacial roughness: consequences for radar scattering and basal water discrimination in northern Greenland, The Cryosphere, 11, 1247–1264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1247-2017, 2017.
Key, K. and Siegfried, M. R.: The feasibility of imaging subglacial hydrology beneath ice streams with ground-based electromagnetics, J. Glaciol., 63, 755–771, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2017.36, 2017.
Killingbeck, S. F., Booth, A. D., Livermore, P. W., Bates, C. R., and West, L. J.: Characterisation of subglacial water using a constrained transdimensional Bayesian transient electromagnetic inversion, Solid Earth, 11, 75–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-75-2020, 2020.
Killingbeck, S. F., Dow, C. F., and Unsworth, M. J.: A quantitative method for deriving salinity of subglacial water using ground-based transient electromagnetics, J. Glaciol., 68, 319–336, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2021.94, 2021.
Killingbeck, S. F., Unsworth, M. J., Rutishauser, A., Dubnick, A., Criscitiello, A. S., Killingbeck, J., Dow, C. F., Hill, T., Booth, A. D., Main, B., and Brossier, E.: Multi-technique surface geophysical surveys over Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7641565, 2023.
King, E. C., Smith, A. M., Murray, T., and Stuart, G. W.: Glacier-bed characteristics of midtre Lovénbreen, Svalbard, from high-resolution seismic and radar surveying, J. Glaciol., 54, 145–156, https://doi.org/10.3189/002214308784409099, 2008.
King, M. S.: The influence of clay-sized particles on seismic velocity for Canadian Arctic permafrost, Can. J. Earth Sci., 21, 19–24, https://doi.org/10.1139/e84-003, 1984.
King, M. S., Zimmerman, R. W., and Corwin, R. F.: Seismic and electrical properties of unconsolidated Permafrost, Geophys. Prospect., 36, 349–364, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2478.1988.tb02168.x, 1988.
Kinnard, C., Zdanowicz, C. M., Fisher, D. A., and Wake, C. P.: Calibration of an ice-core glaciochemical (sea-salt) record with sea-ice variability in the Canadian Arctic, Ann. Glaciol., 44, 383–390, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756406781811349, 2006.
MacGregor, J. A., Winebrenner, D. P., Conway, H., Matsuoka, K., Mayewski, P. A., and Clow, G. D.: Modeling englacial radar attenuation at Siple Dome, West Antarctica, using ice chemistry and temperature data, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 112, F03008, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006jf000717, 2007.
MacGregor, J. A., Li, J., Paden, J. D., Catania, G. A., Clow, G. D., Fahnestock, M. A., Gogineni, S. P., Grimm, R. E., Morlighem, M., Nandi, S., and Seroussi, H.: Radar attenuation and temperature within the Greenland Ice Sheet, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 120, 983–1008, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014jf003418, 2015.
Maguire, R., Schmerr, N., Pettit, E., Riverman, K., Gardner, C., DellaGiustina, D. N., Avenson, B., Wagner, N., Marusiak, A. G., Habib, N., Broadbeck, J. I., Bray, V. J., and Bailey, S. H.: Geophysical constraints on the properties of a subglacial lake in northwest Greenland, The Cryosphere, 15, 3279–3291, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-3279-2021, 2021.
Margrave, G. and Lamoureux, M.: Numerical Methods of Exploration Seismology: With Algorithms in MATLAB®, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316756041, 2019.
Matsuoka, K.: Pitfalls in radar diagnosis of ice-sheet bed conditions: Lessons from englacial attenuation models, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L05505, https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL046205, 2011.
Mikucki, J. A., Auken, E., Tulaczyk, S., Virginia, R. A., Schamper, C., Sørensen, K. I., Doran, P. T., Dugan, H., and Foley, N.: Deep groundwater and potential subsurface habitats beneath an Antarctic dry valley, Nat. Commun., 6, 6831, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms7831, 2015.
Pandit, B. I. and King, M. S.: A study of the effects of pore-water salinity on some physical properties of sedimentary rocks at permafrost temperatures, Can. J. Earth Sci., 16, 1566–1580, https://doi.org/10.1139/e79-143, 1979.
Paterson, W. S. B.: Vertical Strain-Rate Measurements in an Arctic Ice Cap and Deductions from Them, J. Glaciol., 17, 3–12, https://doi.org/10.3189/s0022143000030665, 1976.
Peters, L. E., Anandakrishnan, S., Holland, C. W., Horgan, H. J., Blankenship, D. D., and Voigt, D. E.: Seismic detection of a subglacial lake near the South Pole, Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L23501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008gl035704, 2008.
Prasad, M. and Dvorkin, J.: Velocity and attenuation of compressional waves in brines, in: SEG International Exposition and Annual Meeting, SEG-2004, https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1845150, 2004.
Priscu, J. C., Kalin, J., Winans, J., Campbell, T., Siegfried, M. R., Skidmore, M., Dore, J. E., Leventer, A., Harwood, D. M., Duling, D., and Zook, R.: Scientific access into Mercer Subglacial Lake: Scientific objectives, drilling operations and initial observations, Ann. Glaciol., 62, 340–352, https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2021.10, 2021.
Reeh, N. and Paterson, W. S. B.: Application of a Flow Model to the Ice-Divide Region of Devon Island Ice Cap, Canada, J. Glaciol., 34, 55–63, https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000009060, 1988.
Rodi, W. and Mackie, R. L.: Nonlinear conjugate gradients algorithm for 2-D magnetotelluric inversion, Geophysics, 66, 174–187, https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1444893, 2001.
Rutishauser, A.: Airborne radar-sounding investigations of the firn layer and subglacial environment of Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada, PhD Thesis, University of Alberta, Edmonton, https://doi.org/10.7939/r3-pxen-kq19, 2019.
Rutishauser, A., Blankenship, D. D., Sharp, M., Skidmore, M. L., Greenbaum, J. S., Grima, C., Schroeder, D. M., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Young, D. A.: Discovery of a hypersaline subglacial lake complex beneath DIC, Canadian Arctic, Sci. Adv., 4, 4, https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aar4353, 2018.
Rutishauser, A., Blankenship, D. D., Young, D. A., Wolfenbarger, N. S., Beem, L. H., Skidmore, M. L., Dubnick, A., Criscitiello, A. S., Buhl, D. P., Richter, T. G., and Ng, G.: Data and derived products from airborne radar sounding survey over Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic (1.0.0), Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5795105, 2021.
Rutishauser, A., Blankenship, D. D., Young, D. A., Wolfenbarger, N. S., Beem, L. H., Skidmore, M. L., Dubnick, A., and Criscitiello, A. S.: Radar sounding survey over Devon Ice Cap indicates the potential for a diverse hypersaline subglacial hydrological environment, The Cryosphere, 16, 379–395, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-379-2022, 2022.
Schroeder, D. M., Grima, C., and Blankenship, D. D.: Evidence for variable grounding-zone and shear-margin basal conditions across Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica Thwaites grounding zone and shear margin, Geophysics, 81, WA35–WA43, https://doi.org/10.1190/geo2015-0122.1, 2016a.
Schroeder, D. M., Seroussi, H., Chu, W., and Young, D. A.: Adaptively constraining radar attenuation and temperature across the Thwaites Glacier catchment using bed echoes, J. Glaciol., 62, 1075–1082, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2016.100, 2016b.
Smith, A. M., Woodward, J., Ross, N., Bentley, M. J., Hodgson, D. A., Siegert, M. J., and King, E. C.: Evidence for the long-term sedimentary environment in an Antarctic subglacial lake, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 504, 139–151, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2018.10.011, 2018.
Tulaczyk, S. M. and Foley, N. T.: The role of electrical conductivity in radar wave reflection from glacier beds, The Cryosphere, 14, 4495–4506, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4495-2020, 2020.
Van Wychen, W., Burgess, D. O., Gray, L., Copland, L., Sharp, M., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Benham, T. J.: Glacier velocities and dynamic ice discharge from the Queen Elizabeth Islands, Nunavut, Canada, Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 484–490, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013GL058558, 2014.
Van Wychen, W., Davis, J., Copland, L., Burgess, D. O., Gray, L., Sharp, M., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Benham, T. J.: Variability in ice motion and dynamic discharge from Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada, J. Glaciol., 63, 436–449, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2017.2, 2017.
Weidelt, P.: Response characteristics of coincident loop transient electromagnetic systems, Geophysics, 47, 1325–1330, https://doi.org/10.1190/1.1441393, 1982.
Short summary
A subglacial lake was proposed to exist beneath Devon Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic based on the analysis of airborne data. Our study presents a new interpretation of the subglacial material beneath the Devon Ice Cap from surface-based geophysical data. We show that there is no evidence of subglacial water, and the subglacial lake has likely been misidentified. Re-evaluation of the airborne data shows that overestimation of a critical processing parameter has likely occurred in prior studies.
A subglacial lake was proposed to exist beneath Devon Ice Cap in the Canadian Arctic based on...
