Articles | Volume 20, issue 9
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5509-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-5509-2026
Research article
 | 
28 Sep 2026
Research article |  | 28 Sep 2026

Dynamic thinning and grounding line retreat in Porpoise Bay, Wilkes Land, East Antarctica

Matilda Weatherley, Chris R. Stokes, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, Sindhu Ramanath, and Alessandro Silvano

Data sets

Porpoise Bay Glacier Change - GIS files Matilda Weatherley, Chris Stokes, Stewart Jamieson, Sindhu Ramanath Tarekere, Alessandro Silvano https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15847589

Gridded surface elevation changes from multi-mission satellite altimetry 1978-2017 L. Schroder et al. https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.897390

MEaSUREs ITS_LIVE Antarctic Grounded Ice Sheet Elevation Change, Version 1 J. Nilsson et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/L3LSVDZS15ZV

MEaSUREs Antarctic Grounding Line from Differential Satellite Radar Interferometry, Version 2 E. Rignot et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/IKBWW4RYHF1Q

High-resolution Image-derived Grounding and Hydrostatic Lines for the Antarctic Ice Sheet R. Bindchadler and H. Choi https://doi.org/10.7265/N56T0JK2

MODIS Mosaic of Antarctica 2003--2004 (MOA2004) Image Map, Version 2 T. Haran et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/68TBT0CGJSOJ

MODIS Mosaic of Antarctica 2008--2009 (MOA2009) Image Map, Version 2 T. Haran et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/4ZL43A4619AF

MEaSUREs MODIS Mosaic of Antarctica 2013--2014 (MOA2014) Image Map, Version 1 T. Haran et al. https://doi.org/10.5067/RNF17BP824UM

Sea Ice Index. (G02135, Version 3) F. Fetterer et al. https://doi.org/10.7265/N5K072F8

BEDMAP3 -- Ice thickness, bed and surface elevation for Antarctica -- gridded products (Version 1.0) H. D. Pritchard et al. https://doi.org/10.5285/2d0e4791-8e20-46a3-80e4-f5f6716025d2

MEaSUREs BedMachine Antarctica (NSIDC-0756, Version 3) M. Morlighem https://doi.org/10.5067/FPSU0V1MWUB6

Bathymetry of the Antarctic continental shelf and ice shelf cavities from a 3D inversion of circumpolar gravity anomalies constrained by other data E. Rignot et al. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rbnzs7hkc

The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica -- Mosaics, Version 2 I. Howat et al. https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/x7ndny

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Short summary
Parts of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet rest on a bed below sea level, making them vulnerable to ice dynamic changes and instability, but few glaciers have been studied in detail. Here we report on glaciers draining into Porpoise Bay, Wilkes Land, overlying the Aurora Subglacial Basin. We find ice surface thinning, grounding line retreat and ice surface velocity increase over recent decades, consistent with warm ocean waters intrusion. This highlights this region's vulnerability to future warming.
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