TC - recent papers

Climate controls on snowfall at coastal West Antarctic ice rises – potential ice core sites

2026-07-15T08:48:55+02:00

Climate controls on snowfall at coastal West Antarctic ice rises – potential ice core sites
Julia R. Andreasen and Peter D. Neff
The Cryosphere, 20, 3893–3911, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3893-2026, 2026
Coastal ice domes in West Antarctica preserve snowfall records that reflect past climate conditions. Using weather reanalysis from 1979 to 2022, this study identifies which domes best capture different climate drivers affecting the region. Western sites respond mainly to hemisphere-wide wind shifts, while eastern sites reflect regional storm patterns. These results guide where future ice cores should be drilled to reconstruct past atmospheric and oceanic changes in this vulnerable region.

Evidence and interpretation of non-linear recession behaviour in a periglacial cliff at Port Foster, Deception Island (South Shetlands, Antarctica)

2026-07-14T08:48:55+02:00

Evidence and interpretation of non-linear recession behaviour in a periglacial cliff at Port Foster, Deception Island (South Shetlands, Antarctica)
Carlos Paredes, Inés Santalices, Celia Sanchíz, and Miguel Angel Ropero
The Cryosphere, 20, 3847–3874, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3847-2026, 2026
This study analyses multidecadal coastal bluff erosion at Deception Island, Antarctica, using historical aerial and satellite imagery (1956–2023). A non-linear shoreline change approach reveals heterogeneous and accelerating recession patterns. Logistic sigmoidal models outperform traditional linear methods, offering improved insights into periglacial coastal dynamics under climate change.

Compounding sub-seasonal variations in Greenland outlet glacier dynamics revealed by high-resolution observations

2026-07-14T08:48:55+02:00

Compounding sub-seasonal variations in Greenland outlet glacier dynamics revealed by high-resolution observations
Enze Zhang, Ginny Catania, Ben Smith, Denis Felikson, Beata Csatho, and Daniel T. Trugman
The Cryosphere, 20, 3875–3891, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3875-2026, 2026
Understanding seasonal changes in Greenland glaciers is vital for studying long-term trends. We use a simple model and high-resolution observation to reveal how multiple processes influence seasonal glacier velocity either alternately or simultaneously each year. Additional tests suggest a steepening glacier surface increases sensitivity of the surface velocity to terminus changes. Our approach can be applied to other glaciers decompose seasonal changes of glacier velocity.

Contrasting dynamics of lake- and marine-terminating glaciers under same climatic conditions

2026-07-13T08:48:55+02:00

Contrasting dynamics of lake- and marine-terminating glaciers under same climatic conditions
Florian Vacek, Faezeh M. Nick, Douglas Benn, Maarten P. A. Zwarts, Walter Immerzeel, and Roderik S. W. van de Wal
The Cryosphere, 20, 3827–3845, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3827-2026, 2026
We studied a unique glacier in South Greenland that ends in both a lake and the ocean. Using satellite data and field work, we found that the two glacier fronts behave very differently even under the same climate. At the lake glacier we identify a floating ice tongue and we infer little melt below water. The lake glacier experienced a sudden large breakup. Our work suggests that lake and marine glacier fronts must be treated differently in model simulations.

Brief communication: Inferring Glacier Equilibrium Line Altitudes in the Europe Alps with FROST

2026-07-09T08:48:55+02:00

Brief communication: Inferring Glacier Equilibrium Line Altitudes in the Europe Alps with FROST
Oskar Herrmann, Veena Prasad, Anna Zöller, Alexander R. Groos, Samuel Cook, Christian Sommer, and Johannes J. Fürst
The Cryosphere, 20, 3817–3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3817-2026, 2026
Glaciers in the European Alps are shrinking rapidly because of climate change. We developed a new open-source method that combines satellite observations with computer models to estimate where glaciers gain and lose ice. Applied to hundreds of glaciers, the results agree well with field measurements. This approach improves our understanding of glacier change and helps make more reliable predictions of their future.

Enhanced prediction skill of Antarctic sea ice through sea ice thickness assimilation

2026-07-08T08:48:55+02:00

Enhanced prediction skill of Antarctic sea ice through sea ice thickness assimilation
Nicholas Williams, Yiguo Wang, and François Counillon
The Cryosphere, 20, 3795–3815, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3795-2026, 2026
This study investigates whether assimilating sea ice thickness observations into a global climate model can improve reanalysis and seasonal prediction skill of the Antarctic sea ice. We found that assimilation of sea ice thickness improves the representation of sea ice variability, especially in western Antarctica. We also show that initialisation of predictions with sea ice thickness data assimilation can improve forecasts of sea ice concentration, extent and thickness in summer and autumn.

Uncertainty of the satellite-retrieved sea-ice area record and its trend

2026-07-06T08:48:55+02:00

Uncertainty of the satellite-retrieved sea-ice area record and its trend
Andreas Wernecke, Thomas Lavergne, Stefan Kern, and Dirk Notz
The Cryosphere, 20, 3783–3793, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3783-2026, 2026
We analyse the types and size of uncertainties in satellite measurements of the global sea ice cover. These measurements give insights into the state of the climate system and quality of climate models. We derive uncertainties for one satellite product and compare it with other products. We find that offsets do play a role for measurements of the total sea ice cover, but also for estimates of its change. This calls for further investigations into the reasons for these offsets.

Mapping daily snow depth with machine learning and airborne lidar across two contrasting snowpacks

2026-07-03T08:48:55+02:00

Mapping daily snow depth with machine learning and airborne lidar across two contrasting snowpacks
Caleb G. Pan, Jeremy Johnston, Jennifer M. Jacobs, and Shad O'Neel
The Cryosphere, 20, 3759–3781, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3759-2026, 2026
We developed a simple method to turn a few airborne snow-mapping flights and one daily snow record into continuous maps showing how snow depth changes each day. Tested in Idaho and New Hampshire, the approach works well in both deep and shallow snow regions and helps plan when and how often to fly lidar surveys for the best results.

Last Glacial Maximum extent and subsequent retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet from the Mac. Robertson Shelf

2026-07-02T08:48:55+02:00

Last Glacial Maximum extent and subsequent retreat of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet from the Mac. Robertson Shelf
Janina Güntzel, Juliane Müller, Ralf Tiedemann, Gesine Mollenhauer, Lester Lembke-Jene, Estella Weigelt, Lasse Schopen, Niklas Wesch, Laura Kattein, Andrew N. Mackintosh, and Johann P. Klages
The Cryosphere, 20, 3739–3758, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3739-2026, 2026
Combined multi-proxy sediment core analyses and bathymetry data reveal the deglaciation along the Mac. Robertson Shelf, a yet insufficiently studied sector of the East Antarctic margin. Grounding line extent towards the continental shelf break prior to ~12.7 cal. ka BP and subsequent episodic mid-shelf retreat until the early Holocene prevented Dense Shelf Water formation in its current form, hence suggesting a different formation mechanism under such full glacial conditions.

Review article: The Foundation-Patuxent-Academy ice stream system, Antarctica

2026-07-01T08:48:55+02:00

Review article: The Foundation-Patuxent-Academy ice stream system, Antarctica
Neil Ross, Rebecca J. Sanderson, Bernd Kulessa, Martin Siegert, Guy J. G. Paxman, Keir A. Nichols, Matthew R. Siegfried, Stewart S. R. Jamieson, Michael J. Bentley, Tom A. Jordan, Christine L. Batchelor, David Small, Olaf Eisen, Kate Winter, Robert G. Bingham, S. Louise Callard, Rachel Carr, Christine F. Dow, Helen A. Fricker, Emily Hill, Benjamin H. Hills, Coen Hofstede, Hafeez Jeofry, Felipe Napoleoni, and Wilson Sauthoff
The Cryosphere, 20, 3705–3737, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3705-2026, 2026
We review research about a group of fast-flowing Antarctic ice streams, the Foundation-Patuxent-Academy System. Previously, we knew little about how these ice streams flow, how they interact with each other and the ocean, what their geological history was, and how they might evolve in a warming world. By reviewing existing research, we have identified the future research needed to determine how these ice streams function, and how they might contribute to future global sea level rise.

Wintertime evolution of landfast ice stability in Alaska from InSAR

2026-06-30T08:48:55+02:00

Wintertime evolution of landfast ice stability in Alaska from InSAR
Andrew Einhorn and Andrew Mahoney
The Cryosphere, 20, 3683–3704, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3683-2026, 2026
Landfast ice along the Alaskan Arctic coast is vital for winter travel, yet current remote sensing only maps its extent, not safety. Using InSAR, we distinguish landfast from pack ice and classify stability via a new metric, apparent strain. We quantitatively defined three classes: bottomfast, stabilized, and nonstabilized which correspond to the stability of the landfast ice. Apparent strain reveals an increase in stability throughout the winter months.

Detection and attribution of the role of anthropogenic climate change in industrial-era retreat of Pine Island Glacier

2026-06-29T08:48:55+02:00

Detection and attribution of the role of anthropogenic climate change in industrial-era retreat of Pine Island Glacier
Alexander T. Bradley, David T. Bett, C. Rosie Williams, Robert J. Arthern, Paul R. Holland, James Byrne, Tamsin L. Edwards, and Mira Adhikari
The Cryosphere, 20, 3443–3465, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3443-2026, 2026
At least since we began measuring in detail, the West Antarctic Ice Sheet has lost a lot of ice, but we don't know precisely how important climate change is in this. Here, we put a number on the role of climate change in retreat of a glacier in this ice sheet, for the first time. We show that climate change made the shrinking of this glacier much worse. Our work also suggests that what happened on very long timescales (the last 10,000 years) might also matter for retreat of the ice sheets today.

Comparing calving laws at Greenland's three largest ice shelves

2026-06-26T08:48:55+02:00

Comparing calving laws at Greenland's three largest ice shelves
Jamie Barnett, Felicity A. Holmes, Sarah L. Greenwood, Mathieu Morlighem, Nina Kirchner, and Martin Jakobsson
The Cryosphere, 20, 3599–3617, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3599-2026, 2026
Computer models used to predict future change of the Greenland Ice Sheet are uncertain, especially in how they represent iceberg calving. We compare several calving approaches by testing model results against satellite observations of changes at three unique floating ice shelves in Greenland. We then extend the simulations to the year 2300 to explore future ice loss, finding that warming of the atmosphere or ocean is more important than the choice of calving method.

Winter Arctic polynyas in CMIP6 models

2026-06-26T08:48:55+02:00

Winter Arctic polynyas in CMIP6 models
Céline Heuzé, Jonathan W. Rheinlænder, Tian Tian, and Carmen Hau Man Wong
The Cryosphere, 20, 3643–3682, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3643-2026, 2026
When the sea ice opens in winter in so-called “polynyas”, the entire climate system is affected from deep water ventilation to cloud formation, along with the ecosystem. In observations, winter Arctic polynyas have been increasing along with climate change. We here show that we cannot predict their future using global climate models as they do not represent winter Arctic polynyas correctly: they open over too large areas but too rarely, and for the wrong reason.

The new kids on the block of Arctic coasts – formation and morphodynamics of paraglacial moraine lagoons in Svalbard

2026-06-26T08:48:55+02:00

The new kids on the block of Arctic coasts – formation and morphodynamics of paraglacial moraine lagoons in Svalbard
Zofia Owczarek, Oskar Kostrzewa, Wojciech Piskorski, and Mateusz C. Strzelecki
The Cryosphere, 20, 3619–3642, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3619-2026, 2026
As Arctic warming speeds glacier retreat, new coastal landscapes emerge. Paraglacial Moraine Lagoons (PMLs), formed by Little Ice Age moraines, now cover 56 % of Svalbard's lagoons, triple their 1930s area. We propose a model of their evolution: erosion by marine forces or stabilization by sediment infill, functioning as sediment traps and biodiversity refuges.

Air mass origin and local impacts on Antarctic snow isotopic composition: an observation and modelling study

2026-06-23T08:48:55+02:00

Air mass origin and local impacts on Antarctic snow isotopic composition: an observation and modelling study
Agnese Petteni, Mathieu Casado, Christophe Leroy-Dos Santos, Amaelle Landais, Niels Dutrievoz, Cécile Agosta, Pete D. Akers, Joel Savarino, Andrea Spolaor, Massimo Frezzotti, and Barbara Stenni
The Cryosphere, 20, 3581–3598, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3581-2026, 2026
We investigated the isotopic composition of surface snow in a previously unexplored region of East Antarctica to understand how differences in air mass origin influence its variability. By comparing observations with model data, we validated the model and quantified the impact of post-depositional processes at the snow–atmosphere interface. Our results offer valuable insights for reconstructing past temperatures from ice cores.

30 m monthly glacier surface velocity mapping in the Kangri Karpo region (2015–2024) using multi-source remote sensing data fusion

2026-06-22T08:48:55+02:00

30 m monthly glacier surface velocity mapping in the Kangri Karpo region (2015–2024) using multi-source remote sensing data fusion
Daoxun Gao, Kunpeng Wu, Yunpeng Duan, Zhaoqi Ji, Danyu Ma, Tobias Bolch, Cheng Huang, and Shiyin Liu
The Cryosphere, 20, 3559–3579, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3559-2026, 2026
We mapped monthly glacier flow speeds in the Kangri Karpo region from 2015 to 2024 by combining measurements from several satellites and a drone survey. The merged maps are more complete and detailed than maps from any single source, with fewer gaps caused by clouds or difficult terrain. The results show where glaciers move fastest, how their speed changes through the year, and which glaciers have been speeding up or slowing down over the past decade.

Inferring subglacial topography using physics informed machine learning constrained by two conservation laws

2026-06-19T08:48:55+02:00

Inferring subglacial topography using physics informed machine learning constrained by two conservation laws
Mansa Krishna, Gong Cheng, and Mathieu Morlighem
The Cryosphere, 20, 3533–3558, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3533-2026, 2026
Estimates of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s contribution to sea level rise are affected by uncertainties in the bed topography. Traditional, physics-based methods for inferring the bed elevation are limited to fast-flowing areas of the ice sheet. We use machine learning models informed with two physical laws to infer the bed elevation for different regions in Greenland, showing that this method can be used to infer the bed elevation in slower-moving, sparsely surveyed regions of the ice sheet.

Multi-annual and seasonal patterns of Murtèl rock glacier borehole deformation, environmental controls and implications for kinematic monitoring

2026-06-17T08:48:55+02:00

Multi-annual and seasonal patterns of Murtèl rock glacier borehole deformation, environmental controls and implications for kinematic monitoring
Giulio Saibene, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Jan Beutel, and Andreas Vieli
The Cryosphere, 20, 3511–3532, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3511-2026, 2026
Rock glaciers are bodies of frozen ground found in mountain regions. They move downslope and are mainly studied at the surface. Here, we analyze deformation data from a borehole, providing continuous data for almost eight years. The data shows that the acceleration in the summer movement happens in the uppermost layer, while long-term movement is mostly occurring in a deeper layer. This is important for the interpretation of surface movements, which are used as climate indicators.

Airborne lidar and machine learning reveal decreased snow depth in burned forests

2026-06-17T08:48:55+02:00

Airborne lidar and machine learning reveal decreased snow depth in burned forests
Arielle Koshkin and Adrienne M. Marshall
The Cryosphere, 20, 3467–3481, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-3467-2026, 2026
Wildfires are burning higher in elevation and changing how snow accumulates and melts, disrupting the magnitude and timing of streamflow. Using machine learning and high resolution snow maps, we found that burned forests hold less snow compared to unburned forests, especially in spring, at higher elevations, and on south-facing slopes. These results show how fire reshapes mountain snowpacks, with important implications for water resources in a warming climate.