Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5131-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-20-5131-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
14 Sep 2026
Research article |
| 14 Sep 2026
| 14 Sep 2026
Evaluation of meltwater-over-accumulation ratio as a predictor of surface ponding on Antarctic ice shelves
Emily C. Glazer
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA
Kirsty J. Tinto
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964, USA
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Michela Savignano, Alison F. Banwell, Waleed Abdalati, Robin E. Bell, Alexandra Boghosian, W. Roger Buck, Sarah E. Esenther, Emily Glazer, Adam L. LeWinter, Laurence C. Smith, and Leigh A. Stearns
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1396, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1396, 2026
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Supraglacial rivers carry meltwater across ice shelves, limiting ponding. However, if a river channel deepens below sea level, ocean water can flow back into it and form an ice-shelf estuary, trapping water on the ice shelf and increasing stresses that may weaken the ice. Using high-resolution satellite imagery and elevation data, we develop a new way to measure how quickly these rivers deepen, which we use to show that estuaries form seasonally, changing how meltwater drains from the ice shelf.
Michela Savignano, Alison F. Banwell, Waleed Abdalati, Robin E. Bell, Alexandra Boghosian, W. Roger Buck, Sarah E. Esenther, Emily Glazer, Adam L. LeWinter, Laurence C. Smith, and Leigh A. Stearns
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1396, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2026-1396, 2026
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Supraglacial rivers carry meltwater across ice shelves, limiting ponding. However, if a river channel deepens below sea level, ocean water can flow back into it and form an ice-shelf estuary, trapping water on the ice shelf and increasing stresses that may weaken the ice. Using high-resolution satellite imagery and elevation data, we develop a new way to measure how quickly these rivers deepen, which we use to show that estuaries form seasonally, changing how meltwater drains from the ice shelf.
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The Cryosphere, 19, 6827–6864, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6827-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-6827-2025, 2025
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We studied how gravity data can be used to estimate the shape of the seafloor beneath Antarctica’s floating ice shelves, where direct measurements are difficult. Using computer models based on real data, we tested when this method works well and where it has limits. We found that it could greatly improve seafloor maps for most ice shelves with high-quality gravity data. Better models of the seafloor will help us understand how ocean water melts ice from below, affecting future sea level rise.
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Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2695–2710, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2695-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2695-2023, 2023
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This paper presents the release of over 60 years of ice thickness, bed elevation, and surface elevation data acquired over Antarctica by the international community. These data are a crucial component of the Antarctic Bedmap initiative which aims to produce a new map and datasets of Antarctic ice thickness and bed topography for the international glaciology and geophysical community.
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Short summary
Surface meltwater ponds on Antarctic ice shelves can trigger ice break-up. Using satellite records of observed ponds along with temperatures, snowfall rates, and melt rates from climate models, we show that ponding occurs more widely than theory predicts. Our calibrated method identifies vulnerable areas more accurately and suggests pond coverage could be over double what standard methods predict by 2100, highlighting the need for careful evaluation of climate thresholds used to predict ponding.
Surface meltwater ponds on Antarctic ice shelves can trigger ice break-up. Using satellite...
