Ice shelf-ocean interactions, mechanisms of change in the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica

Abstract:

Over the length of the observational record, the Antarctic Ice Sheet has been loosing ice to the ocean, significantly contributing to global sea level rise. This signal is largely due to glacial flow acceleration in West Antarctica, driven by oceanic melting at its margin and the induced thinning of the glacier buttressing ice shelves. Pine Island Glacier is one stellar example where vigorous oceanic melting fundamentally modifies the geometry of the ice-ocean interface and the associated ice dynamics. Since the early 1970's, the glacier terminating ice shelf has thinned, its grounding line has retreated, and its speed has doubled, now reaching close to 11 m/day. During that time, oceanic melting has increased, injecting fresh and nutrient-rich waters between the surface and intermediate depth in the coastal southern ocean. Using autonomous platforms, ship-borne ocean observations, ground-based and airborne radar observations, satellite observations and numerical modelling, this talk will review the mechanisms behind this trajectory of change and open perspectives on its potential impacts in the Southern Ocean.