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Are seasonal calving dynamics forced by buttressing from ice mélange or undercutting by melting? Outcomes from full-Stokes simulations of Store Gletscher, West Greenland


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Authors

Todd, J 

Abstract

jats:pAbstract. We use a full-Stokes 2-D model (Elmer/Ice) to investigate the flow and calving dynamics of Store Gletscher, a fast flowing outlet glacier in West Greenland. Based on a new, subgrid-scale implementation of the crevasse depth calving criterion, we perform two sets of simulations; one to identify the primary forcing mechanisms and another to constrain future stability. We find that the mixture of icebergs and sea-ice, known as ice mélange or sikussak, is principally responsible for the observed seasonal advance of the ice front, whereas submarine melting plays a secondary role. Sensitivity analysis demonstrates that the glacier's calving dynamics are sensitive to seasonal perturbation, but are stable on interannual timescales due to the glacier's topographic setting. Our results shed light on the dynamics of calving glaciers while explaining why neighbouring glaciers do not necessarily respond synchronously to changes in atmospheric and oceanic forcing. </jats:p>

Description

Keywords

37 Earth Sciences, 3709 Physical Geography and Environmental Geoscience, 13 Climate Action

Journal Title

The Cryosphere Discussions

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1994-0432

Volume Title

Publisher

Copernicus Publications
Sponsorship
Natural Environment Research Council (NE/K005871/1)
This study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council through a Ph.D. studentship (grant no. NE/K500884/1) to J. Todd and research grant (NE/K005871/1) to P. Christoffersen