Pan–ice-sheet glacier terminus change in East Antarctica reveals sensitivity of Wilkes Land to sea-ice changes

Miles, B.W.J.; Stokes, C.R.; Jamieson, S.S.R.

Abstract

The dynamics of ocean-terminating outlet glaciers are an important component of ice-sheet mass balance. Using satellite imagery for the past 40 years, we compile an approximately decadal record of outlet-glacier terminus position change around the entire East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS) marine margin. We find that most outlet glaciers retreated during the period 1974–1990, before switching to advance in every drainage basin during the two most recent periods, 1990–2000 and 2000–2012. The only exception to this trend was in Wilkes Land, where the majority of glaciers (74%) retreated between 2000 and 2012. We hypothesize that this anomalous retreat is linked to a reduction in sea ice and associated impacts on ocean stratification, which increases the incursion of warm deep water toward glacier termini. Because Wilkes Land overlies a large marine basin, it raises the possibility of a future sea level contribution from this sector of East Antarctica.

Citation

Miles, B., Stokes, C., & Jamieson, S. (2016). Pan–ice-sheet glacier terminus change in East Antarctica reveals sensitivity of Wilkes Land to sea-ice changes. Science Advances, 2(5), Article e1501350. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1501350

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 12, 2016
• Online Publication Date: May 6, 2016
• Publication Date: May 6, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jan 28, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: May 13, 2016
• Journal: Science Advances
• Electronic ISSN: 2375-2548
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 5
• Article Number: e1501350
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1501350
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1390593