Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress

Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, has been undergoing several related changes for at least two decades; these include acceleration, thinning and grounding line retreat. During the first major ground-based study between 2006 and 2008, GPS receivers were used to monitor ice flow from 55 km to 171 km in...

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Main Authors: J. B. T. Scott, G. H. Gudmundsson, A. M. Smith, R. G. Bingham, H. D. Pritchard, D. G. Vaughan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2009-05-01
Series:The Cryosphere
Online Access:http://www.the-cryosphere.net/3/125/2009/tc-3-125-2009.pdf
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author J. B. T. Scott
G. H. Gudmundsson
A. M. Smith
R. G. Bingham
H. D. Pritchard
D. G. Vaughan
author_facet J. B. T. Scott
G. H. Gudmundsson
A. M. Smith
R. G. Bingham
H. D. Pritchard
D. G. Vaughan
author_sort J. B. T. Scott
collection DOAJ
description Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, has been undergoing several related changes for at least two decades; these include acceleration, thinning and grounding line retreat. During the first major ground-based study between 2006 and 2008, GPS receivers were used to monitor ice flow from 55 km to 171 km inland, along the central flowline. At four sites both acceleration and thinning rates over the last two years exceeded rates observed at any other time over the last two decades. At the downstream site acceleration was 6.4% over 2007 and thinning was 3.5±0.5 ma<sup>−1</sup>. Acceleration and thinning have spread rapidly inland with the acceleration 171 km inland at 4.1% over 2007, greater than any measured annual flow increase along the whole glacier prior to 2006. Increases in surface slope, and hence gravitational driving stress, correlate well with the acceleration and no sustained change in longitudinal stress gradient is needed to explain the force balance. There is no indication that the glacier is approaching a new steady state.
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spelling doaj.art-07f325e9c6614d25906f9eca220c2fb72022-12-21T21:09:15ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242009-05-0131125131Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stressJ. B. T. ScottG. H. GudmundssonA. M. SmithR. G. BinghamH. D. PritchardD. G. VaughanPine Island Glacier, Antarctica, has been undergoing several related changes for at least two decades; these include acceleration, thinning and grounding line retreat. During the first major ground-based study between 2006 and 2008, GPS receivers were used to monitor ice flow from 55 km to 171 km inland, along the central flowline. At four sites both acceleration and thinning rates over the last two years exceeded rates observed at any other time over the last two decades. At the downstream site acceleration was 6.4% over 2007 and thinning was 3.5±0.5 ma<sup>−1</sup>. Acceleration and thinning have spread rapidly inland with the acceleration 171 km inland at 4.1% over 2007, greater than any measured annual flow increase along the whole glacier prior to 2006. Increases in surface slope, and hence gravitational driving stress, correlate well with the acceleration and no sustained change in longitudinal stress gradient is needed to explain the force balance. There is no indication that the glacier is approaching a new steady state.http://www.the-cryosphere.net/3/125/2009/tc-3-125-2009.pdf
spellingShingle J. B. T. Scott
G. H. Gudmundsson
A. M. Smith
R. G. Bingham
H. D. Pritchard
D. G. Vaughan
Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
The Cryosphere
title Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
title_full Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
title_fullStr Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
title_full_unstemmed Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
title_short Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
title_sort increased rate of acceleration on pine island glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress
url http://www.the-cryosphere.net/3/125/2009/tc-3-125-2009.pdf
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