Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery

Abstract Future projections and past reconstructions of Antarctic Ice Sheet stability and sea‐level rise depend on knowledge of continental shelf bathymetry, which controls water circulation under floating ice and interactions between the ice shelf and seafloor. We present a bathymetry model of the...

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Main Authors: C. D. Locke, K. J. Tinto, D. F. Porter, R. R. Constantino
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-05-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114071
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author C. D. Locke
K. J. Tinto
D. F. Porter
R. R. Constantino
author_facet C. D. Locke
K. J. Tinto
D. F. Porter
R. R. Constantino
author_sort C. D. Locke
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Future projections and past reconstructions of Antarctic Ice Sheet stability and sea‐level rise depend on knowledge of continental shelf bathymetry, which controls water circulation under floating ice and interactions between the ice shelf and seafloor. We present a bathymetry model of the Venable Ice Shelf (VIS) in the Bellingshausen Sea sector from an inversion of airborne gravity data. The new model reveals troughs up to ∼1.6 km deeper than previously mapped, providing pathways for warm Circumpolar Deep Water to access the grounding line. A bathymetric high beneath the western VIS is identified as a former pinning point. From crevasse patterns in Landsat satellite imagery, we infer intermittent grounding of the ice shelf on this high since ∼1935, and we interpret these patterns as evidence of mid‐20th century ice‐shelf thinning, in addition to a regrounding between 1970 and 1988, extending the ice‐shelf thickness record beyond the satellite era.
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spelling doaj-art-34e40b8ead22491da9733ea4c2bb49fa2025-08-20T03:12:52ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-05-01529n/an/a10.1029/2024GL114071Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat ImageryC. D. Locke0K. J. Tinto1D. F. Porter2R. R. Constantino3Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences Columbia University New York NY USALamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University Palisades NY USALamont‐Doherty Earth Observatory Columbia University Palisades NY USAUniversity of São Paulo São Paulo BrazilAbstract Future projections and past reconstructions of Antarctic Ice Sheet stability and sea‐level rise depend on knowledge of continental shelf bathymetry, which controls water circulation under floating ice and interactions between the ice shelf and seafloor. We present a bathymetry model of the Venable Ice Shelf (VIS) in the Bellingshausen Sea sector from an inversion of airborne gravity data. The new model reveals troughs up to ∼1.6 km deeper than previously mapped, providing pathways for warm Circumpolar Deep Water to access the grounding line. A bathymetric high beneath the western VIS is identified as a former pinning point. From crevasse patterns in Landsat satellite imagery, we infer intermittent grounding of the ice shelf on this high since ∼1935, and we interpret these patterns as evidence of mid‐20th century ice‐shelf thinning, in addition to a regrounding between 1970 and 1988, extending the ice‐shelf thickness record beyond the satellite era.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114071bathymetrywest AntarcticaVenable Ice ShelfAbbot Ice Shelfice shelvesgravity
spellingShingle C. D. Locke
K. J. Tinto
D. F. Porter
R. R. Constantino
Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
Geophysical Research Letters
bathymetry
west Antarctica
Venable Ice Shelf
Abbot Ice Shelf
ice shelves
gravity
title Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
title_full Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
title_fullStr Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
title_full_unstemmed Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
title_short Novel Record of Intermittent Grounding of the Venable Ice Shelf Since 1935 From Operation IceBridge Airborne‐Gravity‐Derived Bathymetry and Landsat Imagery
title_sort novel record of intermittent grounding of the venable ice shelf since 1935 from operation icebridge airborne gravity derived bathymetry and landsat imagery
topic bathymetry
west Antarctica
Venable Ice Shelf
Abbot Ice Shelf
ice shelves
gravity
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114071
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