Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat
Abstract Understanding grounding line dynamics is critical for projecting glacier evolution and sea level rise. Observations from satellite radar interferometry reveal rapid grounding line migration forced by oceanic tides that are several kilometers larger than predicted by hydrostatic equilibrium,...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-06-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107571 |
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| author | Shivani Ehrenfeucht Eric Rignot Mathieu Morlighem |
| author_facet | Shivani Ehrenfeucht Eric Rignot Mathieu Morlighem |
| author_sort | Shivani Ehrenfeucht |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Understanding grounding line dynamics is critical for projecting glacier evolution and sea level rise. Observations from satellite radar interferometry reveal rapid grounding line migration forced by oceanic tides that are several kilometers larger than predicted by hydrostatic equilibrium, indicating the transition from grounded to floating ice is more complex than previously thought. Recent studies suggest seawater intrusion beneath grounded ice may play a role in driving rapid ice loss. Here, we investigate its impact on the evolution of Petermann Glacier, Greenland, using an ice sheet model. We compare model results with observed changes in grounding line position, velocity, and ice elevation between 2010 and 2022. We match the observed retreat, speed up, and thinning using 3‐km‐long seawater intrusion that drive peak ice melt rates of 50 m/yr; but we cannot obtain the same agreement without seawater intrusion. Including seawater intrusion in glacier modeling will increase the sensitivity to ocean warming. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-239fe0ae0e3d4e0f9ecc1feac61fd09c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-239fe0ae0e3d4e0f9ecc1feac61fd09c2025-08-20T03:49:37ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072024-06-015112n/an/a10.1029/2023GL107571Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive RetreatShivani Ehrenfeucht0Eric Rignot1Mathieu Morlighem2Department of Earth System Science University of California ‐ Irvine Irvine CA USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California ‐ Irvine Irvine CA USADepartment of Earth Sciences Dartmouth College Hanover NH USAAbstract Understanding grounding line dynamics is critical for projecting glacier evolution and sea level rise. Observations from satellite radar interferometry reveal rapid grounding line migration forced by oceanic tides that are several kilometers larger than predicted by hydrostatic equilibrium, indicating the transition from grounded to floating ice is more complex than previously thought. Recent studies suggest seawater intrusion beneath grounded ice may play a role in driving rapid ice loss. Here, we investigate its impact on the evolution of Petermann Glacier, Greenland, using an ice sheet model. We compare model results with observed changes in grounding line position, velocity, and ice elevation between 2010 and 2022. We match the observed retreat, speed up, and thinning using 3‐km‐long seawater intrusion that drive peak ice melt rates of 50 m/yr; but we cannot obtain the same agreement without seawater intrusion. Including seawater intrusion in glacier modeling will increase the sensitivity to ocean warming.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107571glacier dynamicsseawater intrusionice‐ocean interactionsgrounding line retreatbasal meltice sheet modeling |
| spellingShingle | Shivani Ehrenfeucht Eric Rignot Mathieu Morlighem Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat Geophysical Research Letters glacier dynamics seawater intrusion ice‐ocean interactions grounding line retreat basal melt ice sheet modeling |
| title | Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat |
| title_full | Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat |
| title_fullStr | Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat |
| title_full_unstemmed | Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat |
| title_short | Seawater Intrusion in the Observed Grounding Zone of Petermann Glacier Causes Extensive Retreat |
| title_sort | seawater intrusion in the observed grounding zone of petermann glacier causes extensive retreat |
| topic | glacier dynamics seawater intrusion ice‐ocean interactions grounding line retreat basal melt ice sheet modeling |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL107571 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shivaniehrenfeucht seawaterintrusionintheobservedgroundingzoneofpetermannglaciercausesextensiveretreat AT ericrignot seawaterintrusionintheobservedgroundingzoneofpetermannglaciercausesextensiveretreat AT mathieumorlighem seawaterintrusionintheobservedgroundingzoneofpetermannglaciercausesextensiveretreat |