Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-1-2003

Subjects

Ice sheets -- Antarctica, Glaciers -- Antarctica, Ice shelves -- Antarctica, Glaciers -- Antarctica -- Ross Ice Shelf

Abstract

Changes in the discharge of West Antarctic ice streams are of potential concern with respect to global sea level. The six relatively thin, fast-flowing Ross ice streams are of interest as low-slope end-members among Antarctic ice streams. Extensive research has demonstrated that these "rivers of ice" have a history of relatively high-frequency (óO(100) years), asynchronous discharge variations with evolving lateral boundaries. Amidst this variability, a ~1300 km grounding-line retreat has occurred since the Last GlacialMaximum. Numerical studies of Ice Stream D (Parizek and others, 2002) indicate that a proposed thermal-regulation mechanism(Clarke and Marshall, 1998; Hulbe and MacAyeal,1999; Tulaczyk and others, 2000a,b), which could buffer the West Antarctic ice sheet against complete collapse, may be over-ridden by latent-heat transport within meltwater from beneath inland ice. Extending these studies to Ice Stream A,Whillans Ice Stream and Ice Stream C suggests that further grounding-line retreat contributing to sea-level rise is possible thermodynamically. However, the efficiency of basal water distribution may be a constraint on the system. Because local thermal deficits promote basal freeze-on (especially on topographic highs), observed short-term variability is likely to persist.

Description

Originally appeared in Annals of Glaciology, published by the International Glaciological Society. Article can be found at http://www.igsoc.org/annals/

DOI

10.3189/172756403781816167

Persistent Identifier

http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/8435

Included in

Geology Commons

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