Sediment controls dynamic behavior of a Cordilleran Ice Stream at the Last Glacial Maximum

Ellen A. Cowan; Sarah D. Zellers; Juliane Müller; Maureen H. Walczak; Lindsay L. Worthington; Beth E. Caissie; Wesley A. Clary; John M. Jaeger; Sean P. S. Gulick; Jacob W. Pratt; Alan C. Mix; Stewart J. Fallon

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-15579-0

Nature Communications (Apr 2020)

Sediment controls dynamic behavior of a Cordilleran Ice Stream at the Last Glacial Maximum

Ellen A. Cowan,
Sarah D. Zellers,
Juliane Müller,
Maureen H. Walczak,
Lindsay L. Worthington,
Beth E. Caissie,
Wesley A. Clary,
John M. Jaeger,
Sean P. S. Gulick,
Jacob W. Pratt,
Alan C. Mix,
Stewart J. Fallon

Affiliations

Ellen A. Cowan: Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Appalachian State University
Sarah D. Zellers: School of Geoscience, Physics, and Safety, University of Central Missouri
Juliane Müller: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
Maureen H. Walczak: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
Lindsay L. Worthington: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico
Beth E. Caissie: Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
Wesley A. Clary: Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico
John M. Jaeger: Department of Geological Sciences, University of Florida
Sean P. S. Gulick: Institute for Geophysics & Department of Geological Sciences, Jackson School of Geosciences, University of Texas at Austin
Jacob W. Pratt: Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences, Appalachian State University
Alan C. Mix: College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University
Stewart J. Fallon: Research School of Earth Science, The Australian National University

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-15579-0
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 9

Abstract

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Tidewater glaciers in fjords can advance/retreat independent of climate due to stabilization by sediments at their termini. We show that an Alaskan paleo-ice stream behaved similarly on an open shelf, suggesting that increased sediment flux may delay catastrophic retreat of outlet glaciers in a warming world.

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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