Rapid Thinning of Pine Island Glacier in the Early Holocene

Johnson, J.S.; Bentley, M.J.; Smith, J.A.; Finkel, R.C.; Rood, D.H.; Gohl, K.; Balco, G.; Larter, R.D.; Schaefer, J.M.

Abstract

Pine Island Glacier, a major outlet of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, has been undergoing rapid thinning and retreat for the past two decades. We demonstrate, using glacial-geological and geochronological data, that Pine Island Glacier (PIG) also experienced rapid thinning during the early Holocene, around 8000 years ago. Cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in glacially transported rocks show that this thinning was sustained for decades to centuries at an average rate of more than 100 centimeters per year, which is comparable with contemporary thinning rates. The most likely mechanism was a reduction in ice shelf buttressing. Our findings reveal that PIG has experienced rapid thinning at least once in the past and that, once set in motion, rapid ice sheet changes in this region can persist for centuries.

Citation

Johnson, J., Bentley, M., Smith, J., Finkel, R., Rood, D., Gohl, K., …Schaefer, J. (2014). Rapid Thinning of Pine Island Glacier in the Early Holocene. Science, 343(6174), 999-1001. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247385

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Feb 5, 2014
• Online Publication Date: Feb 20, 2014
• Publication Date: Feb 28, 2014
• Deposit Date: Jun 18, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 18, 2014
• Journal: Science
• Print ISSN: 0036-8075
• Electronic ISSN: 1095-9203
• Publisher: American Association for the Advancement of Science
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 343
• Issue: 6174
• Pages: 999-1001
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1247385
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1428032