Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet
Greenland's future contribution to sea-level rise is strongly dependent on the extent to which dynamic perturbations, originating at the margin, can drive increased ice flow within the ice-sheet interior. However, reported observations of ice dynamical change at distances >~50 km from the ma...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143021000319/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811155779067052032 |
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| author | Joshua J. Williams Noel Gourmelen Peter Nienow |
| author_facet | Joshua J. Williams Noel Gourmelen Peter Nienow |
| author_sort | Joshua J. Williams |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Greenland's future contribution to sea-level rise is strongly dependent on the extent to which dynamic perturbations, originating at the margin, can drive increased ice flow within the ice-sheet interior. However, reported observations of ice dynamical change at distances >~50 km from the margin have a very low spatial and temporal resolution. Consequently, the likely response of the ice-sheet's interior to future oceanic and atmospheric warming is poorly constrained. Through combining GPS and satellite-image-derived ice velocity measurements, we measure multi-decadal (1993–1997 to 2014–2018) velocity change at 45 inland sites, encompassing all regions of the ice sheet. We observe an almost ubiquitous acceleration inland of tidewater glaciers in west Greenland, consistent with acceleration and retreat at glacier termini, suggesting that terminus perturbations have propagated considerable distances (>100 km) inland. In contrast, outside of Kangerlussuaq, we observe no acceleration inland of tidewater glaciers in east Greenland despite terminus retreat and near-terminus acceleration, and suggest propagation may be limited by the influence of basal topography and ice geometry. This pattern of inland dynamical change indicates that Greenland's future contribution to sea-level will be spatially complex and will depend on the capacity for dynamic changes at individual outlet glacier termini to propagate inland. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:39:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0c41e24413bc49858830a509335bfc5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:39:16Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-0c41e24413bc49858830a509335bfc5a2023-03-09T12:41:09ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522021-10-016783384610.1017/jog.2021.31Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice SheetJoshua J. Williams0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7177-6170Noel Gourmelen1Peter Nienow2School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, UKSchool of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, UKSchool of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9XP, UKGreenland's future contribution to sea-level rise is strongly dependent on the extent to which dynamic perturbations, originating at the margin, can drive increased ice flow within the ice-sheet interior. However, reported observations of ice dynamical change at distances >~50 km from the margin have a very low spatial and temporal resolution. Consequently, the likely response of the ice-sheet's interior to future oceanic and atmospheric warming is poorly constrained. Through combining GPS and satellite-image-derived ice velocity measurements, we measure multi-decadal (1993–1997 to 2014–2018) velocity change at 45 inland sites, encompassing all regions of the ice sheet. We observe an almost ubiquitous acceleration inland of tidewater glaciers in west Greenland, consistent with acceleration and retreat at glacier termini, suggesting that terminus perturbations have propagated considerable distances (>100 km) inland. In contrast, outside of Kangerlussuaq, we observe no acceleration inland of tidewater glaciers in east Greenland despite terminus retreat and near-terminus acceleration, and suggest propagation may be limited by the influence of basal topography and ice geometry. This pattern of inland dynamical change indicates that Greenland's future contribution to sea-level will be spatially complex and will depend on the capacity for dynamic changes at individual outlet glacier termini to propagate inland.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143021000319/type/journal_articleArctic glaciologyatmosphere-ice-ocean interactionsglacier flowice dynamics |
| spellingShingle | Joshua J. Williams Noel Gourmelen Peter Nienow Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology Arctic glaciology atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions glacier flow ice dynamics |
| title | Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| title_full | Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| title_fullStr | Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| title_short | Complex multi-decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine-terminating glaciers on the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| title_sort | complex multi decadal ice dynamical change inland of marine terminating glaciers on the greenland ice sheet |
| topic | Arctic glaciology atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions glacier flow ice dynamics |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143021000319/type/journal_article |
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