- About
- Editorial board
- Articles
- Special issues
- Highlight articles
- Manuscript tracking
- Subscribe to alerts
- Peer review
- For authors
- For reviewers
- EGU publications
Journal cover
Journal topic
The Cryosphere
An interactive open-access journal of the European Geosciences Union
Journal topic
- About
- Editorial board
- Articles
- Special issues
- Highlight articles
- Manuscript tracking
- Subscribe to alerts
- Peer review
- For authors
- For reviewers
- EGU publications
Journal metrics
Journal metrics
IF 4.713
4.927CiteScore
8.0SNIP 1.425
SJR 2.353
index 71h5-index 53
Abstracted/indexed
Abstracted/indexed
Volume 8, issue 5
The Cryosphere, 8, 1807–1823, 2014
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1807-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1807-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Special issue: Earth observation of the Cryosphere
The Cryosphere, 8, 1807–1823, 2014
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1807-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-1807-2014
© Author(s) 2014. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article 08 Oct 2014
Research article | 08 Oct 2014
Surface velocity and mass balance of Livingston Island ice cap, Antarctica
B. Osmanoglu et al.
Related authors
No articles found.
Eva De Andrés, Donald A. Slater, Fiamma Straneo, Jaime Otero, Sarah Das, and Francisco Navarro
The Cryosphere, 14, 1951–1969, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1951-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1951-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Buoyant plumes at tidewater glaciers result from localized subglacial discharges of surface melt. They promote glacier submarine melting and influence the delivery of nutrients to the fjord's surface waters. Combining plume theory with observations, we have found that increased fjord stratification, which is due to larger meltwater content, prevents the vertical growth of the plume and buffers submarine melting. We discuss the implications for nutrient fluxes, CO2 trapping and water export.
Ana Moreno, Miguel Bartolomé, Juan Ignacio López-Moreno, Jorge Pey, Pablo Corella, Jordi García-Orellana, Carlos Sancho, María Leunda, Graciela Gil-Romera, Penélope González-Sampériz, Carlos Pérez-Mejías, Francisco Navarro, Jaime Otero-García, Javier Lapazaran, Esteban Alonso-González, Cristina Cid, Jerónimo López-Martínez, Belén Oliva-Urcia, Sérgio H. Faria, María José Sierra, Rocío Millán, Xavier Querol, Andrés Alastuey, and José M. García-Ruiz
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-107, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-107, 2020
Preprint under review for TC
Short summary
Short summary
Our study of the chronological sequence of Monte Perdido Glacier in Central Pyrenees (Spain) reveals that, although the intense warming associated with the Roman Period or the Medieval Climate Anomaly produced important ice mass losses, it was insufficient to make this glacier disappear. By contrast, recent global warming has melted away almost 600 years of ice accumulated since the Little Ice Age, jeopardizing the survival of this and other southern European glaciers over the next few decades.
Ethan Welty, Michael Zemp, Francisco Navarro, Matthias Huss, Johannes J. Fürst, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Johannes Landmann, Horst Machguth, Kathrin Naegeli, Liss M. Andreassen, Daniel Farinotti, Huilin Li, and the GlaThiDa Contributors
Earth Syst. Sci. Data Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-87, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2020-87, 2020
Preprint under review for ESSD
Short summary
Short summary
Knowing the thickness of glacier ice is critical for predicting the rate of glacier loss and the myriad downstream impacts. To facilitate forecasts of future change, we have added millions of measurements to our worldwide database of glacier thickness: 14 % of global glacier area is now within 1 km of a thickness measurement (up from 6 %). To make it easier to update and monitor the quality of our database, we have used automated tools to check and track changes to the data over time.
Catrin Stadelmann, Johannes Jakob Fürst, Thomas Mölg, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-310, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-310, 2020
Preprint under review for TC
Short summary
Short summary
The glaciers on Kilimanjaro are unique indicators for climatic changes in the tropical mid-troposphere of Africa. A history of severe glacier area loss raises concerns about an imminent future disappearance. Yet, the remaining ice volume is not well known. Here, we reconstruct ice thickness maps for the two largest remaining ice bodies to assess the current glacier state. We believe that our approach could provide a mean for a glacier-specific calibration of reconstructions on different scales.
Thorsten Seehaus, Philipp Malz, Christian Sommer, Stefan Lippl, Alejo Cochachin, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere, 13, 2537–2556, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2537-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2537-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The glaciers in Peru are strongly affected by climate change and have shown significant ice loss in the last century. We present the first multi-temporal, countrywide quantification of glacier area and ice mass changes. A glacier area loss of −548.5 ± 65.7 km2 (−29 %) and ice mass loss of −7.62 ± 1.05 Gt is obtained for the period 2000–2016. The ice loss rate increased towards the end of the observation period. The glacier changes revealed can be attributed to regional climatic changes and ENSO.
Peter Friedl, Thorsten C. Seehaus, Anja Wendt, Matthias H. Braun, and Kathrin Höppner
The Cryosphere, 12, 1347–1365, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1347-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-1347-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Fleming Glacier is the biggest tributary glacier of the former Wordie Ice Shelf. Radar satellite data and airborne ice elevation measurements show that the glacier accelerated by ~27 % between 2008–2011 and that ice thinning increased by ~70 %. This was likely a response to a two-phase ungrounding of the glacier tongue between 2008 and 2011, which was mainly triggered by increased basal melt during two strong upwelling events of warm circumpolar deep water.
Thorsten Seehaus, Alison J. Cook, Aline B. Silva, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere, 12, 577–594, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-577-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-577-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The ice sheet of northern Antarctic Peninsula has been significantly affected by climate change within the last century. A temporally and spatially detailed study on the evolution of glacier retreat and flow speeds of 74 basins is provided. Since 1985 a total frontal retreat of 238 km2 and since 1992 regional mean changes in ice flow by up to 58 % are observed. The trends in ice dynamics are correlated with geometric parameters of the glacier catchments and regional climatic settings.
Francisco Machío, Ricardo Rodríguez-Cielos, Francisco Navarro, Javier Lapazaran, and Jaime Otero
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 9, 751–764, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-9-751-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-9-751-2017, 2017
Johannes Jakob Fürst, Fabien Gillet-Chaulet, Toby J. Benham, Julian A. Dowdeswell, Mariusz Grabiec, Francisco Navarro, Rickard Pettersson, Geir Moholdt, Christopher Nuth, Björn Sass, Kjetil Aas, Xavier Fettweis, Charlotte Lang, Thorsten Seehaus, and Matthias Braun
The Cryosphere, 11, 2003–2032, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2003-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-2003-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
For the large majority of glaciers and ice caps, there is no information on the thickness of the ice cover. Any attempt to predict glacier demise under climatic warming and to estimate the future contribution to sea-level rise is limited as long as the glacier thickness is not well constrained. Here, we present a two-step mass-conservation approach for mapping ice thickness. Measurements are naturally reproduced. The reliability is readily assessible from a complementary map of error estimates.
Melanie Rankl, Johannes Jakob Fürst, Angelika Humbert, and Matthias Holger Braun
The Cryosphere, 11, 1199–1211, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1199-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-11-1199-2017, 2017
Ricardo Rodríguez Cielos, Julián Aguirre de Mata, Andrés Díez Galilea, Marina Álvarez Alonso, Pedro Rodríguez Cielos, and Francisco Navarro Valero
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 8, 341–353, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-341-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-8-341-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The study of glacier fronts combines different geomatics measurement techniques. It is practically impossible to realize, in the case of glacier fronts that end up in the sea (tide water glaciers). The images obtained from the front come from a non-metric digital camera. The result of observations obtained were applied to study the temporal evolution (1957–2014) of the position of the Johnsons glacier and the position of the Hurd glacier, near BAE Juan Carlos I in Livingston Island (Antarctica).
M. Rankl, C. Kienholz, and M. Braun
The Cryosphere, 8, 977–989, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-977-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-977-2014, 2014
C. Kienholz, J. L. Rich, A. A. Arendt, and R. Hock
The Cryosphere, 8, 503–519, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-503-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-8-503-2014, 2014
Related subject area
Antarctic
Experimental protocol for sea level projections from ISMIP6 stand-alone ice sheet models
Large-scale englacial folding and deep-ice stratigraphy within the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Drifting-snow statistics from multiple-year autonomous measurements in Adélie Land, East Antarctica
Synoptic conditions and atmospheric moisture pathways associated with virga and precipitation over coastal Adélie Land in Antarctica
Refractory black carbon (rBC) variability in a 47-year West Antarctic snow and firn core
Spatial probabilistic calibration of a high-resolution Amundsen Sea Embayment ice sheet model with satellite altimeter data
How useful is snow accumulation in reconstructing surface air temperature in Antarctica? A study combining ice core records and climate models
Detailed detection of active layer freeze–thaw dynamics using quasi-continuous electrical resistivity tomography (Deception Island, Antarctica)
Solar radiative transfer in Antarctic blue ice: spectral considerations, subsurface enhancement, inclusions, and meteorites
A 14.5 million-year record of East Antarctic Ice Sheet fluctuations from the central Transantarctic Mountains, constrained with cosmogenic 3He, 10Be, 21Ne, and 26Al
Glacial-cycle simulations of the Antarctic Ice Sheet with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) – Part 1: Boundary conditions and climatic forcing
Glacial-cycle simulations of the Antarctic Ice Sheet with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) – Part 2: Parameter ensemble analysis
Brief communication : Evaluating Antarctic precipitation in ERA5and CMIP6 against CloudSat observations
Pan-Antarctic map of near-surface permafrost temperatures at 1 km2 scale
Influence of sea-ice anomalies on Antarctic precipitation using source attribution in the Community Earth System Model
Revealing the former bed of Thwaites Glacier using sea-floor bathymetry
Interannual variability of summer surface mass balance and surface melting in the Amundsen sector, West Antarctica
Impact of exhaust emissions on chemical snowpack composition at Concordia Station, Antarctica
ISMIP6 Antarctica: a multi-model ensemble of the Antarctic ice sheet evolution over the 21st century
The role of history and strength of the oceanic forcing in sea-level projections from Antarctica with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model
New gravity-derived bathymetry for the Thwaites, Crosson and Dotson ice shelves revealing two ice shelf populations
Seasonal and interannual variability of landfast sea ice in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea, Antarctica
Thickness of the divide and flank of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet through the last deglaciation
New Last Glacial Maximum ice thickness constraints for the Weddell Sea Embayment, Antarctica
Calving cycle of the Brunt Ice Shelf, Antarctica, driven by changes in ice shelf geometry
Brief communication: A submarine wall protecting the Amundsen Sea intensifies melting of neighboring ice shelves
Modelling the Antarctic Ice Sheet across the mid-Pleistocene transition – implications for Oldest Ice
Observation of the process of snow accumulation on the Antarctic Plateau by time lapse laser scanning
Past water flow beneath Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, West Antarctica
Antarctic ice shelf thickness change from multimission lidar mapping
Uncertainty quantification of the multi-centennial response of the Antarctic ice sheet to climate change
Marked decrease in the near-surface snow density retrieved by AMSR-E satellite at Dome C, Antarctica, between 2002 and 2011
Evaluation of CloudSat snowfall rate profiles by a comparison with in situ micro-rain radar observations in East Antarctica
Retrieval of snow freeboard of Antarctic sea ice using waveform fitting of CryoSat-2 returns
Four decades of Antarctic surface elevation changes from multi-mission satellite altimetry
Moisture transport in observations and reanalyses as a proxy for snow accumulation in East Antarctica
Estimation of the Antarctic surface mass balance using the regional climate model MAR (1979–2015) and identification of dominant processes
The vertical structure of precipitation at two stations in East Antarctica derived from micro rain radars
Brief communication: widespread potential for seawater infiltration on Antarctic ice shelves
Sensitivity of the current Antarctic surface mass balance to sea surface conditions using MAR
Exploration of Antarctic Ice Sheet 100-year contribution to sea level rise and associated model uncertainties using the ISSM framework
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture
Grounding-line flux formula applied as a flux condition in numerical simulations fails for buttressed Antarctic ice streams
Velocity increases at Cook Glacier, East Antarctica, linked to ice shelf loss and a subglacial flood event
Investigation of a wind-packing event in Queen Maud Land, Antarctica
Promising Oldest Ice sites in East Antarctica based on thermodynamical modelling
Three years of sea ice freeboard, snow depth, and ice thickness of the Weddell Sea from Operation IceBridge and CryoSat-2
Diagnosing ice sheet grounding line stability from landform morphology
Glacier change along West Antarctica's Marie Byrd Land Sector and links to inter-decadal atmosphere–ocean variability
Deglaciation and future stability of the Coats Land ice margin, Antarctica
Sophie Nowicki, Heiko Goelzer, Hélène Seroussi, Anthony J. Payne, William H. Lipscomb, Ayako Abe-Ouchi, Cécile Agosta, Patrick Alexander, Xylar S. Asay-Davis, Alice Barthel, Thomas J. Bracegirdle, Richard Cullather, Denis Felikson, Xavier Fettweis, Jonathan M. Gregory, Tore Hattermann, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Eric Larour, Christopher M. Little, Mathieu Morlighem, Isabel Nias, Andrew Shepherd, Erika Simon, Donald Slater, Robin S. Smith, Fiammetta Straneo, Luke D. Trusel, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Roderik van de Wal
The Cryosphere, 14, 2331–2368, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2331-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2331-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper describes the experimental protocol for ice sheet models taking part in the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparion Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6) and presents an overview of the atmospheric and oceanic datasets to be used for the simulations. The ISMIP6 framework allows for exploring the uncertainty in 21st century sea level change from the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets.
Neil Ross, Hugh Corr, and Martin Siegert
The Cryosphere, 14, 2103–2114, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2103-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-2103-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Using airborne ice-penetrating radar we investigated the physical properties and structure of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Ice deep beneath the Institute Ice Stream has prominent layers with physical properties distinct from those around them and which are heavily folded like geological layers. In turn, these folds influence the present-day flow of the ice sheet, with implications for how computer models are used to simulate ice sheet flow and behaviour in a warming world.
Charles Amory
The Cryosphere, 14, 1713–1725, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1713-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1713-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents an assessment of drifting-snow occurrences and snow mass transport from up to 9 years (2010–2018) of half-hourly observational records collected at two remote locations in coastal Adelie Land (East Antarctica) using second-generation IAV Engineering acoustic FlowCapt sensors. The dataset is freely available to the scientific community and can be used to complement satellite products and evaluate snow-transport models close to the surface and at high temporal frequency.
Nicolas Jullien, Étienne Vignon, Michael Sprenger, Franziska Aemisegger, and Alexis Berne
The Cryosphere, 14, 1685–1702, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1685-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1685-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Although snowfall is the main input of water to the Antarctic ice sheet, snowflakes are often evaporated by dry and fierce winds near the surface of the continent. The amount of snow that actually reaches the ground is therefore considerably reduced. By analyzing the position of cyclones and fronts as well as by back-tracing the atmospheric moisture pathway towards Antarctica, this study explains in which meteorological conditions snowfall is either completely evaporated or reaches the ground.
Luciano Marquetto, Susan Kaspari, and Jefferson Cardia Simões
The Cryosphere, 14, 1537–1554, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1537-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1537-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Black carbon, commonly known as soot, is a particle originating from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass burning that plays an important role in the climatic system. In this work, we analyzed black carbon from an Antarctic ice core spanning 1968–2015 and observed very low concentrations of this particle in the snow, lower than previous works in West Antarctica. We suggest that black carbon transport to East Antarctica is different from its transport to West Antarctica.
Andreas Wernecke, Tamsin L. Edwards, Isabel J. Nias, Philip B. Holden, and Neil R. Edwards
The Cryosphere, 14, 1459–1474, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1459-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1459-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We investigate how the two-dimensional characteristics of ice thickness change from satellite measurements can be used to judge and refine a high-resolution ice sheet model of Antarctica. The uncertainty in 50-year model simulations for the currently most drastically changing part of Antarctica can be reduced by nearly 40 % compared to a simpler, non-spatial approach and nearly 90 % compared to the original spread in simulations.
Quentin Dalaiden, Hugues Goosse, François Klein, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Max Holloway, Louise Sime, and Elizabeth R. Thomas
The Cryosphere, 14, 1187–1207, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1187-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1187-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Large uncertainties remain in Antarctic surface temperature reconstructions over the last millennium. Here, the analysis of climate model outputs reveals that snow accumulation is a more relevant proxy for surface temperature reconstructions than δ18O. We use this finding in data assimilation experiments to compare to observed surface temperatures. We show that our continental temperature reconstruction outperforms reconstructions based on δ18O, especially for East Antarctica.
Mohammad Farzamian, Gonçalo Vieira, Fernando A. Monteiro Santos, Borhan Yaghoobi Tabar, Christian Hauck, Maria Catarina Paz, Ivo Bernardo, Miguel Ramos, and Miguel Angel de Pablo
The Cryosphere, 14, 1105–1120, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1105-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-1105-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A 2-D automated electrical resistivity tomography (A-ERT) system was installed for the first time in Antarctica at Deception Island to (i) monitor subsurface freezing and thawing processes on a daily and seasonal basis and map the spatial and temporal variability of thaw depth and to (ii) study the impact of short-lived extreme meteorological events on active layer dynamics.
Andrew R. D. Smedley, Geoffrey W. Evatt, Amy Mallinson, and Eleanor Harvey
The Cryosphere, 14, 789–809, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-789-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-789-2020, 2020
Allie Balter, Gordon Bromley, Greg Balco, Holly Thomas, and Margaret S. Jackson
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-57, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-57, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
We describe new geologic evidence from Antarctica that demonstrates changes in East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) extent over the past ~ 15 million years. Our data show that the EAIS was a persistent feature in the Transantarctic Mountains for much of that time, including some (but not all) times when global temperature may have been warmer than today. Overall, our results comprise a long-term record of EAIS change, and may provide useful constraints for ice-sheet models and sea-level estimates.
Torsten Albrecht, Ricarda Winkelmann, and Anders Levermann
The Cryosphere, 14, 599–632, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-599-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-599-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
During the last glacial cycles the Antarctic Ice Sheet experienced alternating climatic conditions and varying sea-level history. In response, changes in ice sheet volume and ice-covered area occurred, implying feedbacks on the global sea level. We ran model simulations of the ice sheet with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) over the last two glacial cycles to evaluate the model's sensitivity to different choices of boundary conditions and parameters to gain confidence for future projections.
Torsten Albrecht, Ricarda Winkelmann, and Anders Levermann
The Cryosphere, 14, 633–656, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-633-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-633-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
A large ensemble of glacial-cycle simulations of the Antarctic Ice Sheet with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) was analyzed in which four relevant model parameters were systematically varied. These parameters were selected in a companion study and are associated with uncertainties in ice dynamics, climatic forcing, basal sliding and solid Earth deformation. For each ensemble member a statistical score is computed, which enables calibrating the model against both modern and geologic data.
Marie-Laure Roussel, Florentin Lemonnier, Christophe Genthon, and Gerhard Krinner
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-327, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-327, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
The Antarctic precipitation is evaluated against space radar data in the most recent climate model intercomparison CMIP6 and reanalysis ERA5. The seasonal cycle is mostly well reproduced but relative errors are higher in areas of complex topography, particularly in the higher resolution models. At continental and regional scales all results are biased high, with no significant progress in the more recent models. Predicting Antarctic contribution to sea-level still requires model improvements.
Jaroslav Obu, Sebastian Westermann, Gonçalo Vieira, Andrey Abramov, Megan Ruby Balks, Annett Bartsch, Filip Hrbáček, Andreas Kääb, and Miguel Ramos
The Cryosphere, 14, 497–519, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-497-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-497-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Little is known about permafrost in the Antarctic outside of the few research stations. We used a simple equilibrium permafrost model to estimate permafrost temperatures in the whole Antarctic. The lowest permafrost temperature on Earth is −36 °C in the Queen Elizabeth Range in the Transantarctic Mountains. Temperatures are commonly between −23 and −18 °C in mountainous areas rising above the Antarctic Ice Sheet, between −14 and −8 °C in coastal areas, and up to 0 °C on the Antarctic Peninsula.
Hailong Wang, Jeremy G. Fyke, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Jesse M. Nusbaumer, Hansi Singh, David Noone, Philip J. Rasch, and Rudong Zhang
The Cryosphere, 14, 429–444, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-429-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-429-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Using a climate model with unique water source tagging, we found that sea-ice anomalies in the Southern Ocean and accompanying SST changes have a significant influence on Antarctic precipitation and its source attribution through their direct impact on moisture sources and indirect impact on moisture transport. This study also highlights the importance of atmospheric dynamics in affecting the thermodynamic impact of sea-ice anomalies on regional Antarctic precipitation.
Kelly A. Hogan, Robert D. Larter, Alastair G. C. Graham, Robert Arthern, James D. Kirkham, Rebecca Totten Minzoni, Tom A. Jordan, Rachel Clark, Victoria Fitzgerald, John B. Anderson, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Frank O. Nitsche, Lauren Simkins, James A. Smith, Karsten Gohl, Jan Erik Arndt, Jongkuk Hong, and Julia Wellner
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-25, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2020-25, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
The sea floor geometry around the rapidly changing Thwaites Glacier is a key control on warm ocean waters reaching the ice shelf and grounding zone beyond. This area was un-surveyed due to icebergs and sea-ice cover. The International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration mapped this area for the first time. The new data reveals troughs over 1200 m deep, and as this region is thought to have only un-ground recently, provides key insights into the morphology beneath the grounded ice sheet.
Marion Donat-Magnin, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Hubert Gallée, Charles Amory, Christoph Kittel, Xavier Fettweis, Jonathan D. Wille, Vincent Favier, Amine Drira, and Cécile Agosta
The Cryosphere, 14, 229–249, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-229-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-229-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Modeling the interannual variability of the surface conditions over Antarctic glaciers is important for the identification of climate trends and climate predictions and to assess models. We simulate snow accumulation and surface melting in the Amundsen sector (West Antarctica) over 1979–2017. For all the glaciers, the interannual variability of summer snow accumulation and surface melting is driven by two distinct mechanisms related to variations in the Amundsen Sea Low strength and position.
Detlev Helmig, Daniel Liptzin, Jacques Hueber, and Joel Savarino
The Cryosphere, 14, 199–209, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-199-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-14-199-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present 15 months of trace gas observations from air withdrawn within the snowpack and from above the snow at Concordia Station in Antarctica. The data show occasional positive spikes, indicative of pollution from the station generator. The pollution signal can be seen in snowpack air shortly after it is observed above the snow surface, and lasting for up to several days, much longer than above the surface.
Helene Seroussi, Sophie Nowicki, Antony J. Payne, Heiko Goelzer, William H. Lipscomb, Ayako Abe Ouchi, Cecile Agosta, Torsten Albrecht, Xylar Asay-Davis, Alice Barthel, Reinhard Calov, Richard Cullather, Christophe Dumas, Rupert Gladstone, Nicholas Golledge, Jonathan M. Gregory, Ralf Greve, Tore Hatterman, Matthew J. Hoffman, Angelika Humbert, Philippe Huybrechts, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Thomas Kleiner, Eric Larour, Gunter R. Leguy, Daniel P. Lowry, Chistopher M. Little, Mathieu Morlighem, Frank Pattyn, Tyler Pelle, Stephen F. Price, Aurélien Quiquet, Ronja Reese, Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Andrew Shepherd, Erika Simon, Robin S. Smith, Fiammetta Straneo, Sainan Sun, Luke D. Trusel, Jonas Van Breedam, Roderik S. W. van de Wal, Ricarda Winkelmann, Chen Zhao, Tong Zhang, and Thomas Zwinger
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-324, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-324, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
The Antarctic ice sheet has been losing mass over at least the past three decades in response to changes in atmospheric and oceanic conditions. This study presents an ensemble of model simulations of the Antarctic evolution over the 2015–2100 period based on various ice sheet models, climate forcings and emission scenarios. Results suggest that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet will continue losing large amount of ice, while the East Antarctic ice sheet could experience increased snow accumulation.
Ronja Reese, Anders Levermann, Torsten Albrecht, Hélène Seroussi, and Ricarda Winkelmann
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-330, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-330, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
The contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet is one of the largest uncertainties in projections of future sea-level rise. In this work, we compare projections simulated with the Parallel Ice Sheet Model submitted to ISMIP6 with projections estimated following the LARMIP-2 protocol based on the same model configuration. We find an order of magnitude difference in the 21st century projected ice loss, which can be explained by the translation of ocean forcing to sub-shelf melting.
Tom A. Jordan, David Porter, Kirsty Tinto, Romain Millan, Atsuhiro Muto, Kelly Hogan, Robert D. Larter, Alastair G. C. Graham, and John D. Paden
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-294, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-294, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Short summary
Short summary
Linking ocean and ice sheet processes allow prediction of sea level change. Ice shelves form a floating buffer between the ice-ocean systems 10s of km wide, but the water depth beneath is often a mystery, leaving a critical blind spot in our understanding of how these systems interact. Here we use airborne measurements of gravity to reveal the bathymetry under the ice shelves flanking the rapidly changing Thwaites and adjacent glacier systems, providing new insights and data for future models.
Stefanie Arndt, Mario Hoppmann, Holger Schmithüsen, Alexander D. Fraser, and Marcel Nicolaus
The Cryosphere Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-293, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2019-293, 2020
Revised manuscript accepted for TC
Perry Spector, John Stone, and Brent Goehring
The Cryosphere, 13, 3061–3075, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3061-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-3061-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We describe constraints on the thickness of the interior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) through the last deglaciation. Our data imply that the ice-sheet divide between the Ross and Weddell sea sectors of the WAIS was thicker than present for a period less than ~ 8 kyr within the past ~ 15 kyr. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the divide initially thickened due to the deglacial rise in snowfall and subsequently thinned in response to retreat of the ice-sheet margin.
Keir A. Nichols, Brent M. Goehring, Greg Balco, Joanne S. Johnson, Andrew S. Hein, and Claire Todd
The Cryosphere, 13, 2935–2951, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2935-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2935-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We studied the history of ice masses at three locations in the Weddell Sea Embayment, Antarctica. We measured rare isotopes in material sourced from mountains overlooking the Slessor Glacier, Foundation Ice Stream, and smaller glaciers on the Lassiter Coast. We show that ice masses were between 385 and 800 m thicker during the last glacial cycle than they are at present. The ice masses were both hundreds of metres thicker and remained thicker closer to the present than was previously thought.
Jan De Rydt, Gudmundur Hilmar Gudmundsson, Thomas Nagler, and Jan Wuite
The Cryosphere, 13, 2771–2787, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2771-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2771-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Two large icebergs are about to break off from the Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica. Rifting started several years ago and is now approaching its final phase. Satellite data and computer simulations show that over the past 2 decades, growth of the ice shelf has caused a build-up of forces within the ice, which culminated in its fracture. These natural changes in geometry coincided with large variations in flow speed, a process that is thought to be relevant for all Antarctic ice shelf margins.
Özgür Gürses, Vanessa Kolatschek, Qiang Wang, and Christian Bernd Rodehacke
The Cryosphere, 13, 2317–2324, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2317-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2317-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The warming of the Earth's climate system causes sea level rise. In Antarctica, ice streams flow into the sea and develop ice shelves. These are floating extensions of the ice streams. Ocean water melts these ice shelves. It has been proposed that a submarine wall could shield these ice shelves from the warm water. Our model simulation shows that the wall protects ice shelves. However, the warm water flows to neighboring ice shelves. There, enhanced melting reduces the effectiveness of the wall.
Johannes Sutter, Hubertus Fischer, Klaus Grosfeld, Nanna B. Karlsson, Thomas Kleiner, Brice Van Liefferinge, and Olaf Eisen
The Cryosphere, 13, 2023–2041, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2023-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-2023-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Antarctic Ice Sheet may have played an important role in moderating the transition between warm and cold climate epochs over the last million years. We find that the Antarctic Ice Sheet grew considerably about 0.9 Myr ago, a time when ice-age–warm-age cycles changed from a
40 000 to a 100 000 year periodicity. Our findings also suggest that ice as old as 1.5 Myr still exists at the bottom of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet despite the major climate reorganisations in the past.
Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Romain Caneill, Eric Lefebvre, and Maxim Lamare
The Cryosphere, 13, 1983–1999, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1983-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1983-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
To study how snow accumulates in Antarctica, we analyze daily surface elevation recorded by an automatic laser scanner. We show that new snow often accumulates in thick patches covering a small fraction of the surface. Most patches are removed by erosion within weeks, implying that only a few contribute to the snowpack. This explains the heterogeneity on the surface and in the snowpack. These findings are important for surface mass and energy balance, photochemistry, and ice core interpretation.
James D. Kirkham, Kelly A. Hogan, Robert D. Larter, Neil S. Arnold, Frank O. Nitsche, Nicholas R. Golledge, and Julian A. Dowdeswell
The Cryosphere, 13, 1959–1981, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1959-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1959-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
A series of huge (500 m wide, 50 m deep) channels were eroded by water flowing beneath Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers in the past. The channels are similar to canyon systems produced by floods of meltwater released beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet millions of years ago. The spatial extent of the channels formed beneath Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers demonstrates significant quantities of water, possibly discharged from trapped subglacial lakes, flowed beneath these glaciers in the past.
Tyler C. Sutterley, Thorsten Markus, Thomas A. Neumann, Michiel van den Broeke, J. Melchior van Wessem, and Stefan R. M. Ligtenberg
The Cryosphere, 13, 1801–1817, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1801-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1801-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Most of the Antarctic ice sheet is fringed by ice shelves, floating extensions of ice that help to modulate the flow of the glaciers that float into them. We use airborne laser altimetry data to measure changes in ice thickness of ice shelves around West Antarctica and the Antarctic Peninsula. Each of our target ice shelves is susceptible to short-term changes in ice thickness. The method developed here provides a framework for processing NASA ICESat-2 data over ice shelves.
Kevin Bulthuis, Maarten Arnst, Sainan Sun, and Frank Pattyn
The Cryosphere, 13, 1349–1380, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1349-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1349-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Using probabilistic methods, we quantify the uncertainty in the Antarctic ice-sheet response to climate change over the next millennium under the four RCP scenarios and parametric uncertainty. We find that the ice sheet is stable in RCP 2.6 regardless of parametric uncertainty, while West Antarctica undergoes disintegration in RCP 8.5 almost regardless of parametric uncertainty. We also show a high sensitivity of the ice-sheet response to uncertainty in sub-shelf melting and sliding conditions.
Nicolas Champollion, Ghislain Picard, Laurent Arnaud, Éric Lefebvre, Giovanni Macelloni, Frédérique Rémy, and Michel Fily
The Cryosphere, 13, 1215–1232, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1215-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1215-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The snow density close to the surface has been retrieved from satellite observations at Dome C on the Antarctic Ice Sheet. It shows a marked decrease between 2002 and 2011 of about 10 kg m-3 yr-1. This trend has been confirmed by in situ measurements and other satellite observations though no long-term meteorological evolution has been found. These results have implications for surface mass balance and energy budget.
Florentin Lemonnier, Jean-Baptiste Madeleine, Chantal Claud, Christophe Genthon, Claudio Durán-Alarcón, Cyril Palerme, Alexis Berne, Niels Souverijns, Nicole van Lipzig, Irina V. Gorodetskaya, Tristan L'Ecuyer, and Norman Wood
The Cryosphere, 13, 943–954, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-943-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-943-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Evaluation of the vertical precipitation rate profiles of CloudSat radar by comparison with two surface-based micro-rain radars (MRR) located at two antarctic stations gives a near-perfect correlation between both datasets, even though climatic and geographic conditions are different for the stations. A better understanding and reassessment of CloudSat uncertainties ranging from −13 % up to +22 % confirms the robustness of the CloudSat retrievals of snowfall over Antarctica.
Steven W. Fons and Nathan T. Kurtz
The Cryosphere, 13, 861–878, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-861-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-861-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
A method to measure the snow freeboard of Antarctic sea ice from CryoSat-2 data is developed. Through comparisons with data from airborne campaigns and another satellite mission, we find that this method can reasonably retrieve snow freeboard across the Antarctic and shows promise in retrieving snow depth in certain locations. Snow freeboard data from CryoSat-2 are important because they enable the calculation of sea ice thickness and help to better understand snow depth on Antarctic sea ice.
Ludwig Schröder, Martin Horwath, Reinhard Dietrich, Veit Helm, Michiel R. van den Broeke, and Stefan R. M. Ligtenberg
The Cryosphere, 13, 427–449, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-427-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-427-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We developed an approach to combine measurements of seven satellite altimetry missions over the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Our resulting monthly grids of elevation changes between 1978 and 2017 provide unprecedented details of the long-term and interannual variation. Derived mass changes agree well with contemporaneous data of surface mass balance and satellite gravimetry and show which regions were responsible for the significant accelerations of mass loss in recent years.
Ambroise Dufour, Claudine Charrondière, and Olga Zolina
The Cryosphere, 13, 413–425, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-413-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-413-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The East Antarctic Ice Sheet is thicker and larger than its western counterpart. Whether it gains or loses mass depends in part on the snowfall but this is difficult to measure and model inside the continent. Fortunately, the weather balloons launched from a network of stations along the coast provide an indirect estimate. Indeed, they track the water vapour that will eventually precipitate inland. It turns out there has been no consistent change in moisture transport from 1980 to 2017.
Cécile Agosta, Charles Amory, Christoph Kittel, Anais Orsi, Vincent Favier, Hubert Gallée, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Jan T. M. Lenaerts, Jan Melchior van Wessem, Willem Jan van de Berg, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 13, 281–296, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-281-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-281-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Antarctic surface mass balance (ASMB), a component of the sea level budget, is commonly estimated through modelling as observations are scarce. The polar-oriented regional climate model MAR performs well in simulating the observed ASMB. MAR and RACMO2 share common biases we relate to drifting snow transport, with a 3 times larger magnitude than in previous estimates. Sublimation of precipitation in the katabatic layer modelled by MAR is of a magnitude similar to an observation-based estimate.
Claudio Durán-Alarcón, Brice Boudevillain, Christophe Genthon, Jacopo Grazioli, Niels Souverijns, Nicole P. M. van Lipzig, Irina V. Gorodetskaya, and Alexis Berne
The Cryosphere, 13, 247–264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-247-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-247-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Precipitation is the main input in the surface mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet, but it is still poorly understood due to a lack of observations in this region. We analyzed the vertical structure of the precipitation using multiyear observation of vertically pointing micro rain radars (MRRs) at two stations located in East Antarctica. The use of MRRs showed the potential to study the effect of climatology and hydrometeor microphysics on the vertical structure of Antarctic precipitation.
Sue Cook, Benjamin K. Galton-Fenzi, Stefan R. M. Ligtenberg, and Richard Coleman
The Cryosphere, 12, 3853–3859, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3853-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3853-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
When the porous compacted snow layers on an ice shelf extend below sea level, seawater is able to infiltrate onto the shelf. Here it can affect measurements of ice shelf thickness by changing the average density and affect iceberg calving if the seawater enters fractures. Seawater infiltration has only been directly observed in a few locations around Antarctica. Using continent-wide geometry and snow density data we show that it may be more widespread than previously realised.
Christoph Kittel, Charles Amory, Cécile Agosta, Alison Delhasse, Sébastien Doutreloup, Pierre-Vincent Huot, Coraline Wyard, Thierry Fichefet, and Xavier Fettweis
The Cryosphere, 12, 3827–3839, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3827-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3827-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Regional climate models (RCMs) used to estimate the surface mass balance (SMB) of Antarctica depend on boundary forcing fields including sea surface conditions. Here, we assess the sensitivity of the Antarctic SMB to perturbations in sea surface conditions with the RCM MAR using unchanged atmospheric conditions. Significant SMB anomalies are found for SSC perturbations in the range of CMIP5 global climate model biases.
Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Helene Seroussi, Michael P. Schodlok, Eric Y. Larour, Carmen Boening, Daniel Limonadi, Michael M. Watkins, Mathieu Morlighem, and Michiel R. van den Broeke
The Cryosphere, 12, 3511–3534, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3511-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3511-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Using NASA supercomputers and a novel framework, in which Sandia National Laboratories' statistical software is embedded in the Jet Propulsion Laboratory's ice sheet model, we run a range of 100-year warming scenarios for Antarctica. We find that 1.2 m of sea level contribution is achievable, but not likely. Also, we find that bedrock topography beneath the ice drives potential for regional sea level contribution, highlighting the need for accurate bedrock mapping of the ice sheet interior.
Edward C. King, Jan De Rydt, and G. Hilmar Gudmundsson
The Cryosphere, 12, 3361–3372, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Ice shelves are thick sheets of ice floating on the ocean off the coasts of Antarctica and Greenland. They help regulate the flow of ice off the continent. Ice shelves undergo a natural cycle of seaward flow, fracture, iceberg production and regrowth. The Brunt Ice Shelf recently developed two large cracks. We used ground-penetrating radar to find out how the internal structure of the ice might influence the present crack development and the future stability of the ice shelf.
Ronja Reese, Ricarda Winkelmann, and G. Hilmar Gudmundsson
The Cryosphere, 12, 3229–3242, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3229-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3229-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Accurately representing grounding-line flux is essential for modelling the evolution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Currently, in some large-scale ice-flow modelling studies a condition on ice flux across grounding lines is imposed using an analytically motivated parameterisation. Here we test this expression for Antarctic grounding lines and find that it provides inaccurate and partly unphysical estimates of ice flux for the highly buttressed ice streams.
Bertie W. J. Miles, Chris R. Stokes, and Stewart S. R. Jamieson
The Cryosphere, 12, 3123–3136, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3123-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3123-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Cook Glacier, as one of the largest in East Antarctica, may have made significant contributions to sea level during past warm periods. However, despite its potential importance there have been no long-term observations of its velocity. Here, through estimating velocity and ice front position from satellite imagery and aerial photography we show that there have been large previously undocumented changes in the velocity of Cook Glacier in response to ice shelf loss and a subglacial drainage event.
Christian Gabriel Sommer, Nander Wever, Charles Fierz, and Michael Lehning
The Cryosphere, 12, 2923–2939, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2923-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2923-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Wind packing is how wind produces hard crusts at the surface of the snowpack. This is relevant for the local mass balance in polar regions. However, not much is known about this process and it is difficult to capture its high spatial and temporal variability. A wind-packing event was measured in Antarctica. It could be quantified how drifting snow leads to wind packing and generates barchan dunes. The documentation of these deposition dynamics is an important step in understanding polar snow.
Brice Van Liefferinge, Frank Pattyn, Marie G. P. Cavitte, Nanna B. Karlsson, Duncan A. Young, Johannes Sutter, and Olaf Eisen
The Cryosphere, 12, 2773–2787, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2773-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2773-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Our paper provides an important review of the state of knowledge for oldest-ice prospection, but also adds new basal geothermal heat flux constraints from recently acquired high-definition radar data sets. This is the first paper to contrast the two primary target regions for oldest ice: Dome C and Dome Fuji. Moreover, we provide statistical comparisons of all available data sets and a summary of the community's criteria for the retrieval of interpretable oldest ice since the 2013 effort.
Ron Kwok and Sahra Kacimi
The Cryosphere, 12, 2789–2801, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2789-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2789-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
The variability of snow depth and ice thickness in three years of repeat surveys of an IceBridge (OIB) transect across the Weddell Sea is examined. Retrieved thicknesses suggest a highly variable but broadly thicker ice cover compared to that inferred from drilling and ship-based measurements. The use of lidar and radar altimeters to estimate snow depth for thickness calculations is analyzed, and the need for better characterization of biases due to radar penetration effects is highlighted.
Lauren M. Simkins, Sarah L. Greenwood, and John B. Anderson
The Cryosphere, 12, 2707–2726, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2707-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2707-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Using thousands of grounding line landforms in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, we observe two distinct landform types associated with contrasting styles of grounding line retreat. We characterise landform morphology, examine factors that control landform morphology and distribution, and explore drivers of grounding line (in)stability. This study highlights the importance of understanding thresholds which may destabilise a system and of controls on grounding line retreat over a range of timescales.
Frazer D. W. Christie, Robert G. Bingham, Noel Gourmelen, Eric J. Steig, Rosie R. Bisset, Hamish D. Pritchard, Kate Snow, and Simon F. B. Tett
The Cryosphere, 12, 2461–2479, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2461-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2461-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
With a focus on the hitherto little-studied Marie Byrd Land coastline linking Antarctica's more comprehensively studied Amundsen and Ross Sea Embayments, this paper uses both satellite remote sensing (Landsat, ASTER, ICESat, and CryoSat2) and climate and ocean records (i.e. ERA-Interim, Met Office EN4 data) to examine links between ice recession, inter-decadal atmosphere-ocean forcing and other influences acting upon the Pacific-facing coastline of West Antarctica.
Dominic A. Hodgson, Kelly Hogan, James M. Smith, James A. Smith, Claus-Dieter Hillenbrand, Alastair G. C. Graham, Peter Fretwell, Claire Allen, Vicky Peck, Jan-Erik Arndt, Boris Dorschel, Christian Hübscher, Andrew M. Smith, and Robert Larter
The Cryosphere, 12, 2383–2399, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2383-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-2383-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We studied the Coats Land ice margin, Antarctica, providing a multi-disciplinary geophysical assessment of the ice sheet configuration through its last advance and retreat; a description of the physical constraints on the stability of the past and present ice and future margin based on its submarine geomorphology and ice-sheet geometry; and evidence that once detached from the bed, the ice shelves in this region were predisposed to rapid retreat back to coastal grounding lines.
Cited articles
AMAP: Snow, Water Ice and Permafrost in the Arctic (SWIPA): Climate Change and the Cryosphere, vol. xii, Arctic Monitoring and Assesment Programme (AMAP), Oslo, Norway, 2011.
Balik, F., Alkis, A., Kurucu, Y., and Alkis, Z.: Validation of radargrammetric DEM generation from radarsat images in high relief areas in E}dremit region of Turkey, in: XXth ISPRS {Congress T}echnical Commission {II, vol. XXXV, Istanbul, Turkey, 150–155, 2004.
Balz, T., He, X., Zhang, L., and Liao, M.: TerraSAR-X stereo radargrammetry for precise DEM generation in South-East Asia, in: Proceedings of Asian Conference on Remote Sensing, 2009.
Balz, T., Zhang, L., and Liao, M.: Direct stereo radargrammetric processing using massively parallel processing, ISPRS J. Photogramm., 79, 137–146, 2013.
Bamber, J. and Gomez-Dans, J. L.: The accuracy of digital elevation models of the Antarctic continent, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 237, 516–523, 2005.
Berardino, P., Fornaro, G., Lanari, R., and Sansosti, E.: A new algorithm for surface deformation monitoring based on small baseline differential SAR Interferograms, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 40, 2375–2383, https://doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2002.803792, 2002.
Bliss, A., Hock, R., and Cogley, J. G.: A new inventory of mountain glaciers and ice caps for the Antarctic periphery, Ann. Glaciol., 54, 191–199, 2013.
Burgess, D. O. and Sharp, M. J.: Recent changes in areal extent of the Devon ice cap, Nunavut, Canada, Arct. Antarc. Alp. Res., 36, 261–271, 2004.
Burgess, D. O., Sharp, M. J., Mair, D. W. F., Dowdeswell, J. A., and Benham, T. J.: Flow dynamics and iceberg calving rates of Devon Ice Cap, Nunavut, Canada, J. Glaciol., 51, 219–230, 2005.
Burgess, D. O., Forster, R. R., and Larsen, C. F.: Flow velocities of Alaskan glaciers, Nat. Commun., 4, 51, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms3146, 2013.
Calvet, J., García Sellés, D., and Corbera, J.: Fluctuaciones de la extensión del casquete glacial de la isla Livingston (Shetland del Sur) desde 1956 hasta 1996, Acta geológica hispánica, 34, 365–374, 1999.
Chen, C. W. and Zebker, H. A.: Two-dimensional phase unwrapping with use of statistical models for cost functions in nonlinear optimization, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 18, 338–351, 2001.
Cogley, J. G., Hock, R., Rasmussen, L. A., Arendt, A. A., Bauder, A., Braithwaite, R. J., Jansson, P., Kaser, G., Möller, M., Nicholson, L., and Zemp, M.: Glossary of Glacier Mass Balance and Related Terms, Technical Documents in Hydrology No. 86, UNESCO-IHP, Paris, 2011.
Cuffey, K. M. and Paterson, W. S. B.: The Physics of Glaciers, 4th Edn., Elsevier, Amsterdam, 693 pp., 2010.
DOS: British A}ntarctic Territory, South Shetland Islands, Sheet W 62 60, {Scale 1 : 200 000, D.O.S. 610 (Series D501), Pub. Directorate of Overseas Surveys, 1968.
Dowdeswell, J. A., Bassford, R. P., Gorman, M. R., Williams, M., Glazovsky, A. F., Macheret, Y. Y., Shepherd, A. P., Vasilenko, Y. V., Savatyuguin, L. M., Hubberten, H.-W., and Miller, H.: Form and flow of the Academy of Sciences Ice Cap, Severnaya Zemlya, Russian High Arctic, J. Geophys. Res., 107, 2076, https://doi.org/10.1029/2000JB000129, 2002.
Dowdeswell, J. A., Benham, T., Strozzi, T., and Hagen, J.: Iceberg calving flux and mass balance of the Austfonna ice cap on Nordaustlandet, Svalbard, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F03022, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007JF000905, 2008.
Eineder, M.: Efficient simulation of SAR Interferograms of large areas and of rugged terrain, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 41, 1415–1427, 2003.
Gardner, A. S., Moholdt, G., Cogley, J. G., Wouters, B., Arendt, A. A., Wahr, J., Berthier, E., Hock, R., Pfeffer, W. T., Kaser, G., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Bolch, T., Sharp, M. J., Hagen, J. O., van den Broeke, M. R., and Paul, F.: A reconciled estimate of glacier contributions to sea level rise: 2003 to 2009, Science, 340, 852–857, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1234532, 2013.
Giesen, R. H. and Oerlemans, J.: Climate-model induced differences in the 21st century global and regional glacier contributions to sea-level rise, Clim. Dynam., 41, 3283–3300, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-1743-7, 2013.
Gonzalez, J. H., Bachmann, M., Krieger, G., and Fiedler, H.: Development of the TanDEM-X calibration concept: analysis of systematic errors, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 48, 716–726, 2010.
Gray, A., Mattar, K., Vachon, P., Bindschadler, R., Jezek, K., Forster, R., and Crawford, J.: InSAR results from the RADARSAT Antarctic Mapping Mission data: estimation of glacier motion using a simple registration procedure, in: Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium Proceedings, 1998, IGARSS'98, 1998 IEEE International, vol. 3, 1638–1640, 1998.
Greve, R. and Blatter, H.: Dynamics of Ice Sheets and Glaciers, Springer-Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, 302 pp., 2009.
Hengl, T. and Reuter, H.: How accurate and usable is GDEM?, a statistical assessment of GDEM using LiDAR data, Geomorphometry, 2, 45–48, 2011.
Hirt, C., Filmer, M., and Featherstone, W.: Comparison and validation of recent freely-available Aster-Gdem Ver1, SRTM Ver4. 1 And Geodata DEM-9S Ver3 Digital Elevation Models Over Australia, Aust. J. Earth Sci., 57, 337–347, 2010.
Hock, R., de Woul, M., Radić, V., and Dyurgerov, M.: Mountain glaciers and ice caps around Antarctica make a large sea-level rise contribution, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L07501, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL037020, 2009.
IPCC 2013: Summary for Policymakers, in: Climate Change 2013: The Physical Science Basis, Working Group I Contribution to the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by: Stocker, T. F., Qin, D., Plattner, G.-K., Tignor, M., Allen, S. K., Boschung, J., Nauels, A., Xia, Y., Bex, V., and Midgley, P. M., Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA, 27 pp., 2013.
Jonsell, U. Y., Navarro, F. J., Bañón, M., Lapazaran, J. J., and Otero, J.: Sensitivity of a distributed temperature-radiation index melt model based on AWS observations and surface energy balance fluxes, Hurd Peninsula glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 6, 539–552, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-539-2012, 2012.
Korona, J., Berthier, E., Bernard, M., Rémy, F., and Thouvenot, E.: SPIRIT. SPOT 5 stereoscopic survey of Polar Ice: Reference Images and Topographies during the fourth International Polar Year (2007–2009), ISPRS J. Photogramm., 64, 204–212, 2009.
Krieger, G., Moreira, A., Fiedler, H., Hajnsek, I., Werner, M., Younis, M., and Zink, M.: TanDEM-X: A Satellite Formation for High-Resolution SAR Interferometry, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 45, 3317–3341, 2007.
Lanari, R., Casu, F., Manzo, M., Zeni, G., Berardino, P., Manunta, M., and Pepe, A.: An overview of the small baseline subset algorithm: a DInSAR technique for surface deformation analysis, Pure Appl. Geophys., 164, 637–661, 2007.
Liu, H., Jezek, K., Li, B., and Zhao, Z.: Radarsat Antarctic Mapping Project digital elevation model version 2. Boulder, CO: National Snow and Ice Data Center, Digital media, available at: http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0082.html (last access: 12 September 2014), 2001.
Macheret, Y., Otero, J., Navarro, F., Vasilenko, E., Corcuera, M., Cuadrado, M., and Glazovsky, A.: Ice thickness, internal structure and subglacial topography of Bowles Plateau ice cap and the main ice divides of Livingston Island, Antarctica, by ground-based radio-echo sounding, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 49–56, 2009.
Magruder, L. A., Webb, C. E., Urban, T. J., Silverberg, E. C., and Schutz, B. E.: ICESat altimetry data product verification at White Sands Space Harbor, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 45, 147–155, 2007.
Marzeion, B., Jarosch, A. H., and Hofer, M.: Past and future sea-level change from the surface mass balance of glaciers, The Cryosphere, 6, 1295–1322, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-6-1295-2012, 2012.
Mittermayer, J., Schattler, B., and Younis, M.: Terrasar-X Commissioning Phase Execution and Results, in: Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2008, IGARSS 2008, IEEE International, vol. 2, pp. 197–200, IEEE, https://doi.org/10.1109/IGARSS.2008.4778961, 2008.
Molina, C., Navarro, F., Calvet, J., Garcia-Selles, D., and Lapazaran, J.: Hurd Peninsula glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctica, as indicators of regional warming: ice-volume changes during the period 1956–2000, Ann. Glaciol., 46, 43–49, 2007.
Navarro, F., Otero, J., Macheret, Y., Vasilenko, E., Lapazaran, J., Ahlstrom, A., and Machio, F.: Radioglaciological studies on Hurd Peninsula glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 17–24, 2009.
Navarro, F., Jonsell, U., Corcuera, M., and Mart\'in-Español, A.: Decelerated mass loss of Hurd and Johnsons glaciers, Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula, J. Glaciol., 59, 115–128, 2013.
O'Neel, S., Pfeffer, W., Krimmel, R., and Meier, M.: Evolving force balance at Columbia Glacier, Alaska, during its rapid retreat, J. Geophys. Res, 110, F03012, https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JF000292, 2005.
Orheim, O. and Govorukha., L.: Present-day glaciation in the South Shetland Islands, Ann. Glaciol., 3, 233–238, 1982.
Osmanoglu, B., Braun, M., Hock, R., and Navarro, F.: Surface velocity and ice discharge of the ice cap on King George Island, Antarctica, Ann. Glaciol., 54, 111–119, 2013a.
Osmanoglu, B., Dixon, T., and Wdowinski, S.: 3-D phase unwrapping for satellite radar interferometry, I}: {DEM generation, International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, Volume XL-7/W2, ISPRS2013-SSG, 11–17 November 2013, Antalya, Turkey, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprsarchives-XL-7-W2-185-2012013, 2013b.
Osmanoglu, B., Dixon, T. H., Wdowinski, S., and Cabral-Cano, E.: On the importance of Path for Phase Unwrapping in Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry, Appl. Optics, 50, 3205–3220, https://doi.org/10.1364/AO.50.003205, 2011.
Otero, J.: Generación automática de malla de elementos finitos en modelos evolutivos de dinámica de glaciares, Ph.D. thesis, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, ETSI de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, 2008.
Otero, J., Navarro, F., Martin, C., Cuadrado, M., and Corcuera, M.: A three-dimensional calving model: numerical experiments on Johnsons Glacier, Livingston Island, Antarctica, J. Glaciol., 56, 200–214, 2010.
Pfeffer, T., Arendt, A., Bliss, A., Bolch, T., Cogley, J. G., Gardner, A. S., Hagen, J. O., Hock, R., Kaser, G., Kienholz, C., Miles, E. S. Moholdt, G., Moelg, N., Paul, F., Radić, V., Rastner, P., Raup, B. H., Rich, J., Sharp, M. J., and the Randolph Consortium: The Randolph Glacier Inventory: a globally complete inventory of glaciers, J. Glaciol., 60, 537–552, 2014.
Radić, V., Bliss, A., Beedlow, A. C., Hock, R., Miles, E., and Cogley, J. G.: Regional and global projections of twenty-first century glacier mass changes in response to climate scenarios from global climate models, Clim. Dynam., 42, 37–58, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-013-1719-7, 2013.
Radić, V. and Hock, R.: Regionally differentiated contribution of mountain glaciers and ice caps to future sea-level rise, Nat. Geosci., 4, 91–94, https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1052, 2011.
Raper, S. C. and Braithwaite, R. J.: Low sea level rise projections from mountain glaciers and icecaps under global warming, Nature, 439, 311–313, 2006.
Rees, W. G.: Remote sensing of snow and ice, CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group, Boca Raton, Florida, 285 pp., 2006.
Reuter, H., Nelson, A., Strobl, P., Mehl, W., and Jarvis, A.: A first assessment of Aster Gdem Tiles for absolute accuracy, relative accuracy and terrain parameters, in: Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2009 IEEE International, IGARSS 2009, vol. 5, V–240, 2009.
Rignot, E.: Mapping of glacial motion and surface topography of Hielo Patagonico Norte, Chile, using satellite SAR L-band interferometry data, Ann. Glaciol., 23, 209–216, 1996.
Rosenqvist, A., Shimada, M., Ito, N., and Watanabe, M.: ALOS PALSAR: A Pathfinder Mission for Global-Scale Monitoring of the Environment, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 45, 3307–3316, 2007.
Rott, H., Müller, F., Nagler, T., and Floricioiu, D.: The imbalance of glaciers after disintegration of Larsen-B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, The Cryosphere, 5, 125–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-125-2011, 2011.
SGE: Spanish Antarctic Cartography, Livingston and Deception Islands, scale 1 : 100 000, 1st Edn. Pub., Servicio Geográfico del Ejército, 1997.
Shepherd, A., Ivins, Geruo, A., Barletta, V. R., Bentley, M. J., Bettadpur, S., Briggs, K. H., Bromwich, D. H., Forsberg, R., Galin, N., Horwath, M., Jacobs, S., Joughin, I., King, M. A., Lenaerts, J. T. M., Li, J., Ligtenberg, S. R. M., Luckman, A., Luthcke, S. B., McMillan, M., Meister, R., Milne, G., Mouginot, J., Muir, A., Nicolas, J. P., Paden, J., Payne, A. J., Pritchard, H., Rignot, E., Rott, H., Sandberg Sørensen, L., Scambos, T. A., Scheuchl, B., Schrama, E. J. O., Smith, B., Sundal, A. V., van Angelen, J. H., van de Berg, W. J., van den Broeke, M. R., Vaughan, D. G., Velicogna, I., Wahr, J., Whitehouse, P. L., Wingham, D. J., Yi, D., Young, D., and Zwally, H. J.: A reconciled estimate of ice-sheet mass balance, Science, 338, 1183–1189, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1228102, 2012.
Slangen, A., Katsman, C., van de Wal, R., Vermeersen, L., and Riva, R.: Towards regional projections of twenty-first century sea-level change based on IPCC SRES scenarios, Clim. Dynam., 38, 1191–1209, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00382-011-1057-6, 2012.
Steig, E. J. and Orsi, A. J.: Climate science: the heat is on in Antarctica, Nat. Geosci., 6, 87–88, 2013.
Strozzi, T., Luckman, A., Murray, T., Wegmuller, U., and Werner, C.: Glacier motion estimation using SAR offset-tracking procedures, IEEE T. Geosci. Remote, 40, 2384–2391, 2002.
Strozzi, T., Kouraev, A., Wiesmann, A., Wegmüller, U., Sharov, A., and Werner, C.: Estimation of Arctic glacier motion with satellite L-band SAR data, Remote Sens. Environ., 112, 636–645, 2008.
Sugiyama, S., Skvarca, P., Naito, N., Enomoto, H., Tsutaki, S., Tone, K., Marinsek, S., and Aniya, M.: Ice speed of a calving glacier modulated by small fluctuations in basal water pressure, Nat. Geosci., 4, 597–600, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo1218, 2011.
Turner, J., Barrand, N. E., Bracegirdle, T. J., Convey, P., Hodgson, D. A., Jarvis, M., Jenkins, A., Marshall, G., Meredith, M. P., Roscoe, H., Shanklin, J., French, J., Goosse, H., Guglielmin, M., Gutt, J., Jacobs, S., Kennicutt, M. C. I., Masson-Delmotte, V., Mayewski, P., Navarro, F., Robinson, S., Scambos, T., Sparrow, M., Summerhayes, C., Speer, K., and Klepikov, A.: Antarctic climate change and the environment: an update, Polar Rec., 1–23, https://doi.org/10.1017/S0032247413000296, 2013.
Werner, C., Wegmuller, U., Strozzi, T., and Wiesmann, A.: Precision estimation of local offsets between pairs of SAR SLCs and detected SAR images, in: Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 2005, IGARSS'05, Proceedings, 2005 IEEE International, vol. 7, 4803–4805, 2005.
Ximenis, L., Calvet, J., Enrique, J., Corbera, J., Fernández de Gamboa, C., and Furdada i Bellavista, G.: The measurement of ice velocity, mass balance and thinning-rate on Johnsons Glacier, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, Acta Geológica Hispánica, 34, 406–409, 1999.
Search articles
Special issue
Download
The Cryosphere
An interactive open-access journal of the European Geosciences Union
All site content, except where otherwise noted, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.