Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves

Details Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves

Jan 2008

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2008georl..3502503r&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 35, Issue 2, CiteID L02503

Physics

10

Cryosphere: Ice Shelves, Global Change: Cryospheric Change (0776), Radio Science: Interferometry (1207, 1209, 1242), Global Change: Sea Level Change (1222, 1225, 4556)

Scientific paper

The floating ice shelf in front of Petermann Glacier, in northwest Greenland, experiences massive bottom melting that removes 80% of its ice before calving into the Arctic Ocean. Detailed surveys of the ice shelf reveal the presence of 1-2 km wide, 200-400 m deep, sub-ice shelf channels, aligned with the flow direction and spaced by 5 km. We attribute their formation to the bottom melting of ice from warm ocean waters underneath. Drilling at the center of one of channel, only 8 m above sea level, confirms the presence of ice-shelf melt water in the channel. These deep incisions in ice-shelf thickness imply a vulnerability to mechanical break up and climate warming of ice shelves that has not been considered previously.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Channelized bottom melting and stability of floating ice shelves will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-896512