Articles | Volume 19, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5903-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-19-5903-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Brief communication
| 
18 Nov 2025
Brief communication |
| 18 Nov 2025
| 18 Nov 2025
Brief communication: Tides and damage as drivers of lake drainages on Shackleton Ice Shelf
Department of Chemical Engineering, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628CN, the Netherlands
Maaike Izeboud
Department of Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628CN, the Netherlands
Department of Water & Climate, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussel, 1050, Belgium
Sophie de Roda Husman
Department of Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628CN, the Netherlands
Bert Wouters
Department of Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628CN, the Netherlands
Stef Lhermitte
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, 3001, Belgium
Department of Geoscience & Remote Sensing, Delft University of Technology, Delft, 2628CN, the Netherlands
Related authors
No articles found.
Johanna Van Passel, Koenraad Van Meerbeek, Paulo Negri Bernardino, Wanda De Keersmaecker, Stef Lhermitte, Bianca Fazio Rius, and Ben Somers
Biogeosciences, 23, 2545–2567, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2545-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-23-2545-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
The Amazon forest is important for carbon storage, but climate change might push parts of it towards a tipping point into a degraded state. By studying satellite trends and tree diversity across different spatial scales, we found a larger tipping risk at smaller spatial scales than for the whole region. We also found that higher tree diversity makes the forest more stable and thus less likely to tip, although the effect is relatively weak, highlighting the importance of protecting biodiversity.
Shashwat Shukla, Bert Wouters, Sanne Veldhuijsen, Sophie de Roda Husman, Weiran Li, and Stef Lhermitte
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1263, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1263, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Observation (EO).
Short summary
Short summary
Antarctic ice shelves help slow ice flow into the ocean, but their stability depends partly on the upper firn layer. Air in firn affects how much meltwater can be stored, while grain size helps describe firn structure. We combined fifteen years of satellite radar data with physical models to estimate these properties across Antarctic ice shelves. Our results provide a new way to monitor conditions linked to meltwater build-up and possible instability.
Charlotte Braat, Stef Lhermitte, Marie Claire ten Veldhuis, Rolf Hut, and Ruud van der Ent
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1439, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1439, 2026
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Observation (EO).
Short summary
Short summary
Deforestation influences the regional and global water cycle. In this paper, deforestation data is combined with data that links rainfall to where this water evaporated. We estimate to what extent rainfall in the region is potentially impacted by deforestation elsewhere. We find that most regions are mostly impacted by deforestation outside of the region. We could not yet confirm a generic link with actual rainfall due to limitations, complex system interactions and region specific dynamics.
Thore Kausch, Stef Lhermitte, Marie G. P. Cavitte, Eric Keenan, and Shashwat Shukla
The Cryosphere, 20, 511–526, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-511-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-511-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
Determining the net balance of snow accumulation on the surface of Antarctica is challenging. Sentinel-1 satellite sensors, which can see through snow, offer a promising method. However, linking their signals to snow amounts is complex due to snow's internal structure and limited on-the-ground data. This study found a connection between satellite signals and snow levels at three locations in Dronning Maud Land. Using models and field data, the method shows potential for wider use in Antarctica.
Valeria Di Biase, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Bert Wouters, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Maurice van Tiggelen
The Cryosphere, 20, 87–96, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-87-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-87-2026, 2026
Short summary
Short summary
We produce annual maps of Antarctic surface melt volumes from 2012 to 2021 using satellite microwave data. We detect melting days from thresholds on the satellite signal and then use actual melt measurements from weather stations to convert those signals into water‑equivalent volumes. Our maps capture known melt hotspots and show slightly lower totals than climate models. This dataset supports climate and ice‑shelf studies.
Ann-Sofie P. Zinck, Bert Wouters, Franka Jesse, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 5509–5529, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5509-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5509-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ocean-driven basal melting of ice shelves can carve channels into the ice shelf base. These channels represent potential weak areas of the ice shelf. On George VI Ice shelf we discover a new channel which onset coincides with the 2015 El-Nino Southern Oscillation event. Since the channel has developed rapidly and is located within a highly channelized area close to the ice shelf front it poses a potential thread of ice shelf retreat.
Filippo Emilio Scarsi, Alessandro Battaglia, Maximilian Maahn, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 4875–4892, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4875-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-4875-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Snowfall measurements at high latitudes are crucial for estimating ice sheet mass balance. Spaceborne radar and radiometer missions help estimate snowfall but face uncertainties. This work evaluates uncertainties in snowfall estimates from a fixed near-nadir radar (CloudSat-like) and a conically scanning radar (WIVERN-like), showing that a WIVERN-like radar will provide better estimates than a CloudSat-like radar at smaller spatial and temporal scales.
Weiran Li, Stef Lhermitte, Bert Wouters, Cornelis Slobbe, Max Brils, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 19, 3419–3442, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-3419-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Due to recurrent melt and refreezing events in recent decades, the snow conditions over Greenland have changed. To observe this, we use a parameter (leading edge width; LeW) derived from satellite altimetry and analyse its spatial and temporal variations. By comparing the LeW variations with modelled firn parameters, we concluded that the 2012 melt event and the recent and increasingly frequent melt events have a long-lasting impact on the volume scattering of Greenland firn.
Sofie Van Winckel, Jonas Simons, Stef Lhermitte, and Bart Muys
Biogeosciences, 22, 4291–4307, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4291-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-22-4291-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Insights on management's impact on forest carbon stocks are crucial for sustainable forest management practices. However, accurately monitoring carbon stocks remains a technological challenge. This study estimates above-ground carbon stock in managed and unmanaged forests using passive optical, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and light detection and ranging (lidar) remote sensing data. Results show promising potential in using multiple remote sensing predictors and publicly available high-resolution data for mapping forest carbon stocks.
Thirza Feenstra, Miren Vizcaino, Bert Wouters, Michele Petrini, Raymond Sellevold, and Katherine Thayer-Calder
The Cryosphere, 19, 2289–2314, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2289-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2289-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
We present the first evaluation of Greenland ice sheet (GrIS) and climate feedbacks with a CMIP model. Under 4×CO2 forcing, lower elevations reduce GrIS summer blocking and incoming solar radiation and increase precipitation. Simulated increases of near-surface summer temperature are much lower than the 6 K km-1 lapse rate that is commonly used in non-coupled simulations. CO2 reduction to pre-industrial (PI) halts GrIS mass loss regardless of higher global warming and albedo than PI control.
Matthias O. Willen, Bert Wouters, Taco Broerse, Eric Buchta, and Veit Helm
The Cryosphere, 19, 2213–2227, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2213-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-2213-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Amundsen Sea Embayment is likely in the near future. Vertical uplift of bedrock due to glacial isostatic adjustment stabilizes the ice sheet and may delay its collapse. So far, only spatially and temporally sparse GPS measurements have been able to observe this bedrock motion. We have combined satellite data and quantified a region-wide bedrock motion that independently matches GPS measurements. This can improve ice sheet predictions.
Weiran Li, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 19, 37–61, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-37-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
This study used a machine learning approach to estimate the densities over the Antarctic Ice Sheet, particularly in the areas where the snow is usually dry. The motivation is to establish a link between satellite parameters to snow densities, as measurements are difficult for people to take on site. It provides valuable insights into the complexities of the relationship between satellite parameters and firn density and provides potential for further studies.
Jordi Bolibar, Facundo Sapienza, Fabien Maussion, Redouane Lguensat, Bert Wouters, and Fernando Pérez
Geosci. Model Dev., 16, 6671–6687, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-6671-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-16-6671-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a new modelling framework combining numerical methods with machine learning. Using this approach, we focused on understanding how ice moves within glaciers, and we successfully learnt a prescribed law describing ice movement for 17 glaciers worldwide as a proof of concept. Our framework has the potential to discover important laws governing glacier processes, aiding our understanding of glacier physics and their contribution to water resources and sea-level rise.
Lena G. Buth, Valeria Di Biase, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Stef Lhermitte, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Sophie de Roda Husman, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Bert Wouters
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2000, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2000, 2023
Preprint archived
Short summary
Short summary
Liquid meltwater which is stored in air bubbles in the compacted snow near the surface of Antarctica can affect ice shelf stability. In order to detect the presence of such firn aquifers over large scales, satellite remote sensing is needed. In this paper, we present our new detection method using radar satellite data as well as the results for the whole Antarctic Peninsula. Firn aquifers are found in the north and northwest of the peninsula, in agreement with locations predicted by models.
Ann-Sofie Priergaard Zinck, Bert Wouters, Erwin Lambert, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 17, 3785–3801, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3785-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3785-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The ice shelves in Antarctica are melting from below, which puts their stability at risk. Therefore, it is important to observe how much and where they are melting. In this study we use high-resolution satellite imagery to derive 50 m resolution basal melt rates of the Dotson Ice Shelf. With the high resolution of our product we are able to uncover small-scale features which may in the future help us to understand the state and fate of the Antarctic ice shelves and their (in)stability.
Diana Francis, Ricardo Fonseca, Kyle S. Mattingly, Stef Lhermitte, and Catherine Walker
The Cryosphere, 17, 3041–3062, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3041-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-3041-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Role of Foehn Winds in ice and snow conditions at the Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica.
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.
Lena G. Buth, Bert Wouters, Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Stef Lhermitte, Peter Kuipers Munneke, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-127, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2022-127, 2022
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Liquid meltwater which is stored in air bubbles in the compacted snow near the surface of Antarctica can affect ice shelf stability. In order to detect the presence of such firn aquifers over large scales, satellite remote sensing is needed. In this paper, we present our new detection method using radar satellite data as well as the results for the whole Antarctic Peninsula. Firn aquifers are found in the north and northwest of the peninsula, in agreement with locations predicted by models.
Bas Altena, Andreas Kääb, and Bert Wouters
The Cryosphere, 16, 2285–2300, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2285-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2285-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Repeat overflights of satellites are used to estimate surface displacements. However, such products lack a simple error description for individual measurements, but variation in precision occurs, since the calculation is based on the similarity of texture. Fortunately, variation in precision manifests itself in the correlation peak, which is used for the displacement calculation. This spread is used to make a connection to measurement precision, which can be of great use for model inversion.
Weiran Li, Cornelis Slobbe, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 16, 2225–2243, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-2225-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
This study proposes a new method for correcting the slope-induced errors in satellite radar altimetry. The slope-induced errors can significantly affect the height estimations of ice sheets if left uncorrected. This study applies the method to radar altimetry data (CryoSat-2) and compares the performance with two existing methods. The performance is assessed by comparison with independent height measurements from ICESat-2. The assessment shows that the method performs promisingly.
F. Dahle, J. Tanke, B. Wouters, and R. Lindenbergh
ISPRS Ann. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., V-2-2022, 237–244, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-V-2-2022-237-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-annals-V-2-2022-237-2022, 2022
Zhongyang Hu, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Stef Lhermitte, Maaike Izeboud, and Michiel van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 15, 5639–5658, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5639-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5639-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Antarctica is shrinking, and part of the mass loss is caused by higher temperatures leading to more snowmelt. We use computer models to estimate the amount of melt, but this can be inaccurate – specifically in the areas with the most melt. This is because the model cannot account for small, darker areas like rocks or darker ice. Thus, we trained a computer using artificial intelligence and satellite images that showed these darker areas. The model computed an improved estimate of melt.
Jan Bouke Pronk, Tobias Bolch, Owen King, Bert Wouters, and Douglas I. Benn
The Cryosphere, 15, 5577–5599, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
About 10 % of Himalayan glaciers flow directly into lakes. This study finds, using satellite imagery, that such glaciers show higher flow velocities than glaciers without ice–lake contact. In particular near the glacier tongue the impact of a lake on the glacier flow can be dramatic. The development of current and new meltwater bodies will influence the flow of an increasing number of Himalayan glaciers in the future, a scenario not currently considered in regional ice loss projections.
Weiran Li, Stef Lhermitte, and Paco López-Dekker
The Cryosphere, 15, 5309–5322, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5309-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5309-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Surface meltwater lakes have been observed on several Antarctic ice shelves in field studies and optical images. Meltwater lakes can drain and refreeze, increasing the fragility of the ice shelves. The combination of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) backscatter and interferometric information (InSAR) can provide the cryosphere community with the possibility to continuously assess the dynamics of the meltwater lakes, potentially helping to facilitate the study of ice shelves in a changing climate.
Rajashree Tri Datta and Bert Wouters
The Cryosphere, 15, 5115–5132, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5115-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5115-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The ICESat-2 laser altimeter can detect the surface and bottom of a supraglacial lake. We introduce the Watta algorithm, automatically calculating lake surface, corrected bottom, and (sub-)surface ice at high resolution adapting to signal strength. ICESat-2 depths constrain full lake depths of 46 lakes over Jakobshavn glacier using multiple sources of imagery, including very high-resolution Planet imagery, used for the first time to extract supraglacial lake depths empirically using ICESat-2.
Annelies Voordendag, Marion Réveillet, Shelley MacDonell, and Stef Lhermitte
The Cryosphere, 15, 4241–4259, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-4241-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The sensitivity of two snow models (SNOWPACK and SnowModel) to various parameterizations and atmospheric forcing biases is assessed in the semi-arid Andes of Chile in winter 2017. Models show that sublimation is a main driver of ablation and that its relative contribution to total ablation is highly sensitive to the selected albedo parameterization and snow roughness length. The forcing and parameterizations are more important than the model choice, despite differences in physical complexity.
Maurice van Tiggelen, Paul C. J. P. Smeets, Carleen H. Reijmer, Bert Wouters, Jakob F. Steiner, Emile J. Nieuwstraten, Walter W. Immerzeel, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 15, 2601–2621, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2601-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2601-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We developed a method to estimate the aerodynamic properties of the Greenland Ice Sheet surface using either UAV or ICESat-2 elevation data. We show that this new method is able to reproduce the important spatiotemporal variability in surface aerodynamic roughness, measured by the field observations. The new maps of surface roughness can be used in atmospheric models to improve simulations of surface turbulent heat fluxes and therefore surface energy and mass balance over rough ice worldwide.
Diana Francis, Kyle S. Mattingly, Stef Lhermitte, Marouane Temimi, and Petra Heil
The Cryosphere, 15, 2147–2165, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-2147-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The unexpected September 2019 calving event from the Amery Ice Shelf, the largest since 1963 and which occurred almost a decade earlier than expected, was triggered by atmospheric extremes. Explosive twin polar cyclones provided a deterministic role in this event by creating oceanward sea surface slope triggering the calving. The observed record-anomalous atmospheric conditions were promoted by blocking ridges and Antarctic-wide anomalous poleward transport of heat and moisture.
Cited articles
Arthur, J. F., Stokes, C. R., Jamieson, S. S. R., Carr, J. R., and Leeson, A. A.: Distribution and seasonal evolution of supraglacial lakes on Shackleton Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 14, 4103–4120, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-4103-2020, 2020. a, b, c
Arthur, J. F., Stokes, C. R., Jamieson, S. S. R., Rachel Carr, J., Leeson, A. A., and Verjans, V.: Large Interannual Variability in Supraglacial Lakes around East Antarctica, Nature Communications, 13, 1711, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29385-3, 2022. a
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. a
Bindschadler, R., Vornberger, P., Fleming, A., Fox, A., Mullins, J., Binnie, D., Paulsen, S. J., Granneman, B., and Gorodetzky, D.: The Landsat Image Mosaic of Antarctica, Remote Sensing of Environment, 112, 4214–4226, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2008.07.006, 2008. a
Colgan, W., Rajaram, H., Abdalati, W., McCutchan, C., Mottram, R., Moussavi, M. S., and Grigsby, S.: Glacier Crevasses: Observations, Models, and Mass Balance Implications, Reviews of Geophysics, 54, 119–161, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015RG000504, 2016. a, b
Das, S. B., Joughin, I., Behn, M. D., Howat, I. M., King, M. A., Lizarralde, D., and Bhatia, M. P.: Fracture Propagation to the Base of the Greenland Ice Sheet During Supraglacial Lake Drainage, Science, 320, 778–781, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1153360, 2008. a
de Roda Husman, S., Lhermitte, S., Bolibar, J., Izeboud, M., Hu, Z., Shukla, S., van der Meer, M., Long, D., and Wouters, B.: A High-Resolution Record of Surface Melt on Antarctic Ice Shelves Using Multi-Source Remote Sensing Data and Deep Learning, Remote Sensing of Environment, 301, 113950, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2023.113950, 2024. a, b
Doyle, S. H., Hubbard, A. L., Dow, C. F., Jones, G. A., Fitzpatrick, A., Gusmeroli, A., Kulessa, B., Lindback, K., Pettersson, R., and Box, J. E.: Ice tectonic deformation during the rapid in situ drainage of a supraglacial lake on the Greenland Ice Sheet, The Cryosphere, 7, 129–140, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-7-129-2013, 2013. a
Fürst, J. J., Durand, G., Gillet-Chaulet, F., Tavard, L., Rankl, M., Braun, M., and Gagliardini, O.: The Safety Band of Antarctic Ice Shelves, Nature Climate Change, 6, 479–482, https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate2912, 2016. a, b
Gardner, A., Fahnestock, M., and Scambos, T.: MEaSUREs ITS_LIVE Landsat Image-Pair Glacier and Ice Sheet Surface Velocities, Version 1, NASA National Snow and Ice Data Center DAAC [data set], https://doi.org/10.5067/IMR9D3PEI28U, 2020. a
Gerrish, L., Fretwell, P., and Cooper, P.: High Resolution Vector Polylines of the Antarctic Coastline – VERSION 7.6, UK Polar Data Centre, Natural Environment Research Council UK Research & Innovation [data set], https://doi.org/10.5285/45174e8c-7ce8-4d87-a6f7-570db476c6c9, 2022. a, b, c
Howard, S., Padman, L., and Erofeeva, S.: CATS2008: Circum-Antarctic Tidal Simulation Version 2008, U.S. Antarctic Program (USAP) Data Center [data set], https://doi.org/10.15784/601235, 2019. a
Izeboud, M. and Lhermitte, S.: Damage Detection on Antarctic Ice Shelves Using the Normalised Radon Transform, Remote Sensing of Environment, 284, 113359, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2022.113359, 2023. a, b, c
McMillan, M., Nienow, P., Shepherd, A., Benham, T., and Sole, A.: Seasonal Evolution of Supra-Glacial Lakes on the Greenland Ice Sheet, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 262, 484–492, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2007.08.002, 2007. a
Miles, K. E., Willis, I. C., Benedek, C. L., Williamson, A. G., and Tedesco, M.: Toward Monitoring Surface and Subsurface Lakes on the Greenland Ice Sheet Using Sentinel-1 SAR and Landsat-8 OLI Imagery, Frontiers in Earth Science, 5, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2017.00058, 2017. a, b
Moussavi, M., Pope, A., Halberstadt, A. R. W., Trusel, L. D., Cioffi, L., and Abdalati, W.: Antarctic Supraglacial Lake Detection Using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 Imagery: Towards Continental Generation of Lake Volumes, Remote Sensing, 12, 134, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12010134, 2020. a, b
Nye, J. F. and Perutz, M. F.: The Distribution of Stress and Velocity in Glaciers and Ice-Sheets, Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A. Mathematical and Physical Sciences, 239, 113–133, https://doi.org/10.1098/rspa.1957.0026, 1957. a
Padman, L., Fricker, H. A., Coleman, R., Howard, S., and Erofeeva, L.: A New Tide Model for the Antarctic Ice Shelves and Seas, Annals of Glaciology, 34, 247–254, https://doi.org/10.3189/172756402781817752, 2002. a, b, c
Padman, L., Siegfried, M. R., and Fricker, H. A.: Ocean Tide Influences on the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets, Reviews of Geophysics, 56, 142–184, https://doi.org/10.1002/2016RG000546, 2018. a
Pope, A., Scambos, T. A., Moussavi, M., Tedesco, M., Willis, M., Shean, D., and Grigsby, S.: Estimating supraglacial lake depth in West Greenland using Landsat 8 and comparison with other multispectral methods, The Cryosphere, 10, 15–27, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-10-15-2016, 2016. a
Saunderson, D., Mackintosh, A., McCormack, F., Jones, R. S., and Picard, G.: Surface melt on the Shackleton Ice Shelf, East Antarctica (2003–2021), The Cryosphere, 16, 4553–4569, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4553-2022, 2022. a
Sommer, J., Izeboud, M., de Roda Husman, S., Wouters, B., and Lhermitte, S.: Brief Communications: Tides and Damage as Drivers of Lake Drainages on Shackleton Ice Shelf, Zenodo [code and data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17352530, 2025. a
Stokes, C. R., Sanderson, J. E., Miles, B. W. J., Jamieson, S. S. R., and Leeson, A. A.: Widespread Distribution of Supraglacial Lakes around the Margin of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, Scientific Reports, 9, 13823, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-50343-5, 2019. a
Sun, S., Cornford, S. L., Moore, J. C., Gladstone, R., and Zhao, L.: Ice shelf fracture parameterization in an ice sheet model, The Cryosphere, 11, 2543–2554, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2543-2017, 2017. a
Surawy-Stepney, T., Hogg, A. E., Cornford, S. L., and Hogg, D. C.: Mapping Antarctic crevasses and their evolution with deep learning applied to satellite radar imagery, The Cryosphere, 17, 4421–4445, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-4421-2023, 2023. a
Trusel, L. D., Pan, Z., and Moussavi, M.: Repeated Tidally Induced Hydrofracture of a Supraglacial Lake at the Amery Ice Shelf Grounding Zone, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GL095661, 2022. a, b
Tuckett, P. A., Ely, J. C., Sole, A. J., Lea, J. M., Livingstone, S. J., Jones, J. M., and van Wessem, J. M.: Automated mapping of the seasonal evolution of surface meltwater and its links to climate on the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 15, 5785–5804, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-15-5785-2021, 2021. a, b
Williamson, A. G., Arnold, N. S., Banwell, A. F., and Willis, I. C.: A Fully Automated Supraglacial Lake Area and Volume Tracking (“FAST”) Algorithm: Development and Application Using MODIS Imagery of West Greenland, Remote Sensing of Environment, 196, 113–133, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.04.032, 2017. a, b
Williamson, A. G., Banwell, A. F., Willis, I. C., and Arnold, N. S.: Dual-satellite (Sentinel-2 and Landsat 8) remote sensing of supraglacial lakes in Greenland, The Cryosphere, 12, 3045–3065, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3045-2018, 2018a. a, b, c
Williamson, A. G., Willis, I. C., Arnold, N. S., and Banwell, A. F.: Controls on Rapid Supraglacial Lake Drainage in West Greenland: An Exploratory Data Analysis Approach, Journal of Glaciology, 64, 208–226, https://doi.org/10.1017/jog.2018.8, 2018b. a, b
Short summary
Ice shelves, the floating extensions of Antarctica’s ice sheet, play a crucial role in preventing mass ice loss, and understanding their stability is crucial. If surface meltwater lakes drain rapidly through fractures, the ice shelf can destabilize. We analyzed satellite images of four years from the Shackleton Ice Shelf and found that lake drainages occurred in areas where damage is present and developing, and coincided with rising tides, offering insights into the drivers of this process.
Ice shelves, the floating extensions of Antarctica’s ice sheet, play a crucial role in...
