Simulations of grounding-line migration in ice-sheet models using a fixed grid have been shown to exhibit poor convergence at achievable resolutions. We present a series of ‘shelfy-stream’ flowline model experiments using an idealized set-up. We assess the performance of a range of grounding-line parameterizations (GLPs) over a large input space by varying bedrock gradient, rate factor, basal drag coefficient and net accumulation. The relative performance of GLPs is similar to Gladstone and others (2010a) except at low basal drag, in which case the grounding-line errors are very small for all GLPs. We find that grounding-line errors are far more sensitive to basal drag than to the other inputs or to choice of GLP. We then quantify grounding-line errors as a function of resolution while varying basal drag and channel width (using a parameterization to represent buttressing). Reducing either basal drag or channel width reduces the errors associated with the grounding line. Our results suggest that a structured fixed-grid shelfy-stream ice-sheet model would need to run at a horizontal resolution of ~1–2km to accurately simulate grounding-line positions of marine ice-sheet outlet glaciers such as Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica.

Unfortunately, author corrections to Figs. 2, 3a, b, and 4a, b were not carried out.The correct versions are shown below.

Abstract. Ice sheet numerical modeling is the best approach to estimate the dynamic contribution of Antarctica to sea level rise over the coming centuries. The influence of initial conditions on ice sheet model simulations, however, is still unclear. To better understand this influence, an initial state intercomparison exercise (initMIP) has been developed to compare, evaluate, and improve initialization procedures and estimate their impact on century-scale simulations. initMIP is the first set of experiments of the Ice Sheet Model Intercomparison Project for CMIP6 (ISMIP6), which is the primary Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) activity focusing on the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets. Following initMIP-Greenland, initMIP-Antarctica has been designed to explore uncertainties associated with model initialization and spin-up and to evaluate the impact of changes in external forcings. Starting from the state of the Antarctic ice sheet at the end of the initialization procedure, three forward experiments are each run for 100 years: a control run, a run with a surface mass balance (SMB) anomaly, and a run with a basal melting anomaly beneath floating ice. This study presents the results of initMIP-Antarctica from 25 simulations performed by 16 international modeling groups. The submitted results use different initial conditions and initialization methods, as well as ice flow model parameters and reference external forcings. We find a good agreement among model responses to the SMB anomaly, but large variations in responses to the basal melting anomaly. These variations can be attributed to differences in the extent of ice shelves and their upstream tributaries, the numerical treatment of grounding line, as well as the initial ocean conditions applied, suggesting that ongoing efforts to better represent ice shelves in continental-scale models should continue.

Stalling the fastest flows of ice into the oceans would buy us a few centuries to deal with climate change and protect coasts, argue John C. Moore and colleagues. The village of Ilulissat in western Greenland is surrounded by icebergs that have calved from the Jakobshavn Glacier. JOE RAEDLE/GETTY© 2 0 1 8 M a c m i l l a n P u b l i s h e r s L i m i t e d , p a r t o f S p r i n g e r N a t u r e . A l l r i g h t s r e s e r v e d .

Realistic predictions of the behaviour of marine ice sheets require that models are able to robustly simulate grounding line migration. Fixed grid ice sheet models have been shown to exhibit inconsistent and hence unreliable grounding line migration behaviour, except at very high resolution not achievable in whole ice sheet simulations. In this study we present several different approaches to parameterising the grounding line. These are distinguished by choices regarding the ice thickness profile from the last grounded to the first floating grid point, and how this profile is allowed to impact on the gravitational driving stress and basal drag. We demonstrate that the most obvious choice of thickness parameterisation, linear interpolation from the last grounded to the first floating grid point, is not the most effective. We show that use of a grounding line parameterisation greatly improves performance, and that choice of a better grounding line parameterisation over a simpler one can bring further improvements, in terms of both accuracy and more self consistent behaviour, comparable to halving the grid resolution. The approach presented here to parameterising the grounding line does not in itself completely solve the grounding line problem, however it reduces requirements in terms of grid resolution. The parameterisations are presented in the context of a 1-D "shelfy-stream" flow-line model, but could be extended to cope with more than one dimension and other model formulations