Articles | Volume 20, issue 11
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-6263-2026
© 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-20-6263-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Nov 2026
Research article |
| 03 Nov 2026
| 03 Nov 2026
Seasonal icings reveal subsurface water drainage of a Greenland Ice Sheet outlet glacier
Rebecca McCerery
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
Joseph A. Graly
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
Christopher L. Hansen
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
Kate Winter
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
William P. Gilhooly III
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Trinity L. Hamilton
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
The BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
Moses Jatta
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Jeff R. Havig
Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA
Felipe Napoleoni
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, UK
Alicia M. Rutledge
Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
Matthew Terrell
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Tanya M. Trott
School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
Kayla Woodie
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Bernd Kulessa
School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics, Swansea University, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
Sevi Modestou
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
Hannah Bahrani
School of Geography and Natural Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 8ST, UK
Tori Kennedy
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Alexandra Messerli
Asiaq Greenland Survey, Nuuk, GL, Greenland
Kathy Licht
Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Indiana University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA
Data sets
Geochemistry of proglacial waters from Isunnguata Sermia and Leverett Glacier, West Greenland, 2022-2024 (Version 1.0) Joseph A. Graly and Rebecca McCerery https://doi.org/10.5285/59406f3e-7971-4fe4-aa61-e1e112c84bce
Seasonal icings reveal subsurface water drainage of a Greenland Ice Sheet outlet glacier Rebecca McCerery and Joseph Graly https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.23159526
Short summary
Ice cores from Isunnguata Sermia’s forefield reveal how proglacial naled and accreted ices form in Greenland. Naledi build up in winter from precipitation and mineral-rich subglacial water, while accreted ice forms in summer through supercooled water upwelling. Geophysical surveys indicate both are fed by subsurface flows potentially originating from the glacier bed. Here, we present the first conceptual model of these formations in Greenland.
Ice cores from Isunnguata Sermia’s forefield reveal how proglacial naled and accreted ices form...
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