Nature Communications (Oct 2016)

Rapid submarine ice melting in the grounding zones of ice shelves in West Antarctica

  • Ala Khazendar,
  • Eric Rignot,
  • Dustin M. Schroeder,
  • Helene Seroussi,
  • Michael P. Schodlok,
  • Bernd Scheuchl,
  • Jeremie Mouginot,
  • Tyler C. Sutterley,
  • Isabella Velicogna

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms13243
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 7, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Ice-shelf bottom melting is thought to cause mass loss in West Antarctica. Here, the authors analyse radar observations of the Dotson and Crosson ice shelves to directly quantify grounding zone unbalanced melting of up to 70 m per year, and illustrate its relation with bed topography and grounding line retreat.