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The Ocean Boundary Layer beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf: Insights from Large-Eddy Simulations with a Near-Wall Model

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cam.depositDate2022-04-29
cam.orpheus.counter15
cam.orpheus.successMon Sep 26 08:22:22 BST 2022 - Embargo updated
dc.contributor.authorVreugdenhil, CA
dc.contributor.authorTaylor, JR
dc.contributor.authorDavis, PED
dc.contributor.authorNicholls, KW
dc.contributor.authorHolland, PR
dc.contributor.authorJenkins, A
dc.contributor.orcidTaylor, John [0000-0002-1292-3756]
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-29T23:30:33Z
dc.date.available2022-04-29T23:30:33Z
dc.date.issued2022
dc.date.updated2022-04-29T08:32:14Z
dc.description.abstract<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The melt rate of Antarctic ice shelves is of key importance for rising sea levels and future climate scenarios. Recent observations beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf revealed an ocean boundary layer that was highly turbulent and raised questions on the effect of these rich flow dynamics on the ocean heat transfer and the ice shelf melt rate. Directly motivated by the field observations, we have conducted large-eddy simulations (LES) to further examine the ocean boundary layer beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf. The LES was initialized with uniform temperature and salinity (<jats:italic>T–S</jats:italic>) and included a realistic tidal cycle and a small basal slope. A new parameterization based on previous work was applied at the top boundary to model near-wall turbulence and basal melting. The resulting vertical <jats:italic>T–S</jats:italic> profiles, melt rate, and friction velocity matched well with the Larsen C Ice Shelf observations. The instantaneous melt rate varied strongly with the tidal cycle, with faster flow increasing the turbulence and mixing of heat toward the ice base. An Ekman layer formed beneath the ice base and, due to the strong vertical shear of the current, Ekman rolls appeared in the mixed layer and stratified region (depth ≈ 20–60 m). In an additional high-resolution simulation (conducted with a smaller domain) the Ekman rolls were associated with increased turbulent kinetic energy, but a relatively small vertical heat flux. Our results will help with interpreting field observations and parameterizing the ocean-driven basal melting of ice shelves.</jats:p>
dc.description.sponsorshipNatural Environment Research Council
dc.identifier.doi10.17863/CAM.84052
dc.identifier.eissn1520-0485
dc.identifier.issn0022-3670
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/336631
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherAmerican Meteorological Society
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Applied Mathematics And Theoretical Physics
dc.publisher.urlhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1175/jpo-d-21-0166.1
dc.rightsAll Rights Reserved
dc.rights.urihttp://www.rioxx.net/licenses/all-rights-reserved
dc.subjectIce shelves
dc.subjectOcean dynamics
dc.subjectTurbulence
dc.subjectMixing
dc.subjectTides
dc.titleThe Ocean Boundary Layer beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf: Insights from Large-Eddy Simulations with a Near-Wall Model
dc.typeArticle
dcterms.dateAccepted2022-04-27
prism.publicationNameJournal of Physical Oceanography
pubs.funder-project-idNatural Environment Research Council (NE/N009746/1)
pubs.licence-display-nameApollo Repository Deposit Licence Agreement
pubs.licence-identifierapollo-deposit-licence-2-1
rioxxterms.typeJournal Article/Review
rioxxterms.versionAM
rioxxterms.versionofrecord10.1175/jpo-d-21-0166.1

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