Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades
Abstract High‐resolution, three‐dimensional simulations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model ocean model are used to calculate the subaqueous melt rate of the calving faces of Umiamako, Rinks, Kangerdlugssup, Store, and Kangilerngata glaciers, west Greenland, from...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068784 |
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| author | E. Rignot Y. Xu D. Menemenlis J. Mouginot B. Scheuchl X. Li M. Morlighem H. Seroussi M. van den Broeke I. Fenty C. Cai L. An B. de Fleurian |
| author_facet | E. Rignot Y. Xu D. Menemenlis J. Mouginot B. Scheuchl X. Li M. Morlighem H. Seroussi M. van den Broeke I. Fenty C. Cai L. An B. de Fleurian |
| author_sort | E. Rignot |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract High‐resolution, three‐dimensional simulations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model ocean model are used to calculate the subaqueous melt rate of the calving faces of Umiamako, Rinks, Kangerdlugssup, Store, and Kangilerngata glaciers, west Greenland, from 1992 to 2015. Model forcing is from monthly reconstructions of ocean state and ice sheet runoff. Results are analyzed in combination with observations of bathymetry, bed elevation, ice front retreat, and glacier speed. We calculate that subaqueous melt rates are 2–3 times larger in summer compared to winter and doubled in magnitude since the 1990s due to enhanced subglacial runoff and 1.6 ± 0.3°C warmer ocean temperature. Umiamako and Kangilerngata retreated rapidly in the 2000s when subaqueous melt rates exceeded the calving rates and ice front retreated to deeper bed elevation. In contrast, Store, Kangerdlugssup, and Rinks have remained stable because their subaqueous melt rates are 3–4 times lower than their calving rates, i.e., the glaciers are dominated by calving processes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9bec4e679a4b485a9d8442cf2ea680d0 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9bec4e679a4b485a9d8442cf2ea680d02025-08-20T01:50:59ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072016-06-0143126374638210.1002/2016GL068784Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decadesE. Rignot0Y. Xu1D. Menemenlis2J. Mouginot3B. Scheuchl4X. Li5M. Morlighem6H. Seroussi7M. van den Broeke8I. Fenty9C. Cai10L. An11B. de Fleurian12Department of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USAJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USAInstitute for Marine and Atmospheric Research Utrecht University Utrecht NetherlandsJet Propulsion Laboratory California Institute of Technology Pasadena California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USADepartment of Earth System Science University of California Irvine California USAAbstract High‐resolution, three‐dimensional simulations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology general circulation model ocean model are used to calculate the subaqueous melt rate of the calving faces of Umiamako, Rinks, Kangerdlugssup, Store, and Kangilerngata glaciers, west Greenland, from 1992 to 2015. Model forcing is from monthly reconstructions of ocean state and ice sheet runoff. Results are analyzed in combination with observations of bathymetry, bed elevation, ice front retreat, and glacier speed. We calculate that subaqueous melt rates are 2–3 times larger in summer compared to winter and doubled in magnitude since the 1990s due to enhanced subglacial runoff and 1.6 ± 0.3°C warmer ocean temperature. Umiamako and Kangilerngata retreated rapidly in the 2000s when subaqueous melt rates exceeded the calving rates and ice front retreated to deeper bed elevation. In contrast, Store, Kangerdlugssup, and Rinks have remained stable because their subaqueous melt rates are 3–4 times lower than their calving rates, i.e., the glaciers are dominated by calving processes.https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068784glaciologygreenlandcalvingice‐ocean interactionmass balancesubaqueous melt |
| spellingShingle | E. Rignot Y. Xu D. Menemenlis J. Mouginot B. Scheuchl X. Li M. Morlighem H. Seroussi M. van den Broeke I. Fenty C. Cai L. An B. de Fleurian Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades Geophysical Research Letters glaciology greenland calving ice‐ocean interaction mass balance subaqueous melt |
| title | Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| title_full | Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| title_fullStr | Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| title_short | Modeling of ocean‐induced ice melt rates of five west Greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| title_sort | modeling of ocean induced ice melt rates of five west greenland glaciers over the past two decades |
| topic | glaciology greenland calving ice‐ocean interaction mass balance subaqueous melt |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068784 |
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