Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-2021-8
29 Jan 2021
 | 29 Jan 2021
Status: this discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal The Cryosphere (TC). The manuscript was not accepted for further review after discussion.

Antecedent control on active ice sheet retreat revealed by seafloor geomorphology, offshore Windmill Islands, Antarctica

Alexandra L. Post, Emrys Phillips, Christopher J. Carson, and Jodie Smith

Abstract. Understanding past retreat of Antarctic ice margins provides valuable insight for predicting how ice sheets may respond to future environmental change. This study, based on high resolution multibeam bathymetry from the nearshore region of the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica, reveals a style of retreat that has been rarely observed on the Antarctic margin. A suite of seafloor features record the final retreat stages of a relatively thin, and increasingly fractured tidewater glacier confined within narrow troughs and embayments, forming a suite of features more typical of warm-based ice, but occurring here in a region of cold-based ice with limited surface meltwater production. The pattern of moraines and crevasse squeeze ridges, reveals strong topographic and substrate control on the nature of ice sheet retreat. Topographic control is indicated by fine-scale variability in the orientation and distribution of glacial landforms, which show that the seabed topography influenced the shape of the ice margin, caused deflection of ice flow and led to the separation of flow downstream from topographic highs. The availability of water saturated marine sediments within the troughs and depressions also had a profound effect on the landform record, facilitating the construction of moraines and crevasse squeeze ridges within topographic lows, corresponding to areas of modern sediment accumulation. Surrounding areas of crystalline bedrock, by contrast, acted as sticky spots and lack a well-developed landform record. This seafloor glacial record emphasises the importance of understanding the bed topography and substrate when predicting the nature of ice margin retreat and provides new perspectives for understanding the stability of the East Antarctic margin.

Alexandra L. Post et al.

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on tc-2021-8', Anonymous Referee #1, 03 Mar 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on tc-2021-8', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 May 2021

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on tc-2021-8', Anonymous Referee #1, 03 Mar 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on tc-2021-8', Anonymous Referee #2, 13 May 2021

Alexandra L. Post et al.

Data sets

Casey Station Multibeam Surveys 2013-2015 M. Spinoccia https://doi.org/10.4225/25/587c1c94d6b1b

Alexandra L. Post et al.

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Short summary
The seafloor is one of the best places to look for evidence of past response of the Antarctic ice sheet to environmental change. This work uses extremely high resolution bathymetry to interpret features imprinted onto the seafloor during last retreat of the Law Dome ice sheet. Seafloor features reveal the influence of pre-existing conditions, such as the underlying topography and the existence of sediment or bedrock, providing context to understand how ice sheets may respond to future change.