Articles | Volume 19, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-5939-2025
© 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-19-5939-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Nov 2025
Research article |
| 20 Nov 2025
Subglacial hydrology regulates oscillations in marine ice streams
Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI 53706, USA
Ian J. Hewitt
Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX2 6GG, UK
Richard F. Katz
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK
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Short summary
We combine models for marine ice sheets (which terminate in the ocean) and water flux at the ice–bed interface. The coupled system evolves dynamically due to a positive feedback between ice flow, heat dissipation at the ice stream bed, and basal lubrication. Our results show that, depending on the hydraulic properties of the bed, distinct dynamic regimes can be identified. These regimes include steady streaming, hydraulically controlled oscillations, and thermally controlled oscillations.
We combine models for marine ice sheets (which terminate in the ocean) and water flux at the...