Persistent, extensive channelized drainage modeled beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica

Abstract km of the grounding line and reach individual discharge rates of 35–110 m 3 s - 1 at the ice–ocean boundary. While only one to two channels typically form across the 200 km width of the glacier in our simulations, their high efficiency drains water across the entire lateral extent of the glacier. We posit the large catchment size of Thwaites Glacier, its funnel-like geometry, and high basal melt rates together accumulate enough water to form stable channels. No simulations resembled observed specularity content when channelization was disabled. Our results suggest channelized subglacial hydrology has two consequences for Thwaites Glacier dynamics: (i) amplifying submarine melting of the terminus and ice shelf while (ii) simultaneously raising effective pressure within 100 km of the grounding line and increasing basal friction. The distribution of effective pressure implied from our modeling differs from parameterizations typically used in large-scale ice sheet models, suggesting the development of more process-based parameterizations may be necessary.

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• Standort: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Umfang: Online-Ressource
• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Persistent, extensive channelized drainage modeled beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica ; volume:16 ; number:9 ; year:2022 ; pages:3575-3599 ; extent:25 ; The Cryosphere ; 16, Heft 9 (2022), 3575-3599 (gesamt 25)

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Urheber: Hager, Alexander O. ; Hoffman, Matthew J. ; Price, Stephen F. ; Schroeder, Dustin M.

Weitere Informationen

• DOI: 10.5194/tc-16-3575-2022
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2022090805231407498470
• Rechteinformation: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.