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:10.1038/ncomms13243

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

Affiliations

Ala Khazendar: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Eric Rignot: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Dustin M. Schroeder: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Helene Seroussi: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Michael P. Schodlok: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
Bernd Scheuchl: Department of Earth System Science, University of California
Jeremie Mouginot: Department of Earth System Science, University of California
Tyler C. Sutterley: Department of Earth System Science, University of California
Isabella Velicogna: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology

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.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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