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Accelerating Ice Loss from the Fastest Greenland and Antarctic GlaciersIce discharge from the fastest glaciers draining the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets . Jakobshavn Isbrae (JI) and Pine Island Glacier (PIG). continues to increase, and is now more than double that needed to balance snowfall in their catchment basins. Velocity increase probably resulted from decreased buttressing from thinning (and, for JI, breakup) of their floating ice tongues, and from reduced basal drag as grounding lines on both glaciers retreat. JI flows directly into the ocean as it becomes afloat, and here creep rates are proportional to the cube of bed depth. Rapid thinning of the PIG ice shelf increases the likelihood of its breakup, and subsequent rapid increase in discharge velocity. Results from a simple model indicate that JI velocities should almost double to >20 km/a by 2015, with velocities on PIG increasing to >10 km/a after breakup of its ice shelf. These high velocities would probably be sustained over many decades as the glaciers retreat within their long, very deep troughs. Resulting sea ]level rise would average about 1.5 mm/a.
Document ID
20120013765
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Thomas, R.
(Sigma Space Corp. Lanham, MD, United States)
Frederick, E.
(Sigma Space Corp. Lanham, MD, United States)
Li, J.
(Kansas Univ. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Krabill, W.
(Sigma Space Corp. Lanham, MD, United States)
Manizade, S.
(URS Group, Inc. San Francisco, CA, United States)
Paden, J.
(Kansas Univ. Lawrence, KS, United States)
Sonntag, J.
(URS Group, Inc. San Francisco, CA, United States)
Swift, R.
(Sigma Space Corp. Lanham, MD, United States)
Yungel, J.
(URS Group, Inc. San Francisco, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2013
Publication Date
May 24, 2011
Publication Information
Publication: Geophysical Research Letters
Volume: 38
Subject Category
Geophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.6525.2012
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-12659
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-12980
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF OPP-01222520
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNG10HP19C
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ANT-0424589
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX09AR77G
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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