Acceleration of Jakobshavn Isbræ triggered by warm subsurface ocean waters

Holland, David M.; Thomas, Robert H.; Young, Brad de; Ribergaard, Mads Hvid; Lyberth, B.

doi:10.1038/ngeo316

Cited by 773 publications

(917 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

850

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Recent changes in ice dynamics of Greenland herald unexpected changes to ice melt and runoff which may affect local ecosystems (Luthcke et al, 2006;Stearns and Hamilton, 2007;Holland et al, 2008). Though Greenland ice melt is several physical steps removed from the bloom location, increased ice melt may steepen boundary gradients in the West and East Greenland currents, which could locally accelerate the subpolar gyre and/or increase the frequency of eddy-generation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical controls and interannual variability of the Labrador Sea spring phytoplankton bloom in distinct regions

Frajka‐Williams

Rhines

2010

Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

We investigated the variability of the spring phytoplankton bloom in the Labrador Sea, dividing into distinct biogeographical zones, then analyzing the relationship between the bloom and physical forcings. The spring phytoplankton bloom in the north Labrador Sea varied in intensity by a factor of 4 and in timing of onset by 3 weeks over the 11-year record from SeaWiFS satellite ocean chlorophyll, 1998-2008. This north bloom (north of 60 • N and west of the Labrador shelves) is earliest and most intense, owing in part to the offshore-directed freshwater stratification from the West Greenland Current. On interannual timescales, significant correlations were found between the north bloom intensity and ocean processes, namely offshore advection, eddy activity and runoff from Greenland. In contrast, the central Labrador Sea is later and weaker, and only a correlation between the bloom timing and irradiance was found. As the subpolar gyre shifts in strength and shape, freshwater outflow from the Arctic and Greenland changes, we may expect further changes in the biological response as indicated by these relationships.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Physical controls and interannual variability of the Labrador Sea spring phytoplankton bloom in distinct regions

Frajka‐Williams

Rhines

2010

Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Currently the terminus position and grounding line is still near a relatively shallow sill but, behind, the bed deepens rapidly into a deep bedrock trough that reaches 70 km inland (Fig. 1a) and carries the potential for rapid unstable retreat in the near future (Hughes 1986;Weertman 1974;Vieli et al 2001) As a trigger for its rapid retreat, ocean related processes such as changes in sea-ice concentration or subsurface melt at the ice ocean contact seem currently most plausible (Holland et al 2008;Joughin et al 2008c;Lloyd et al 2011), but the linking processes at this marine boundary are still not well understood.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding and Modelling Rapid Dynamic Changes of Tidewater Outlet Glaciers: Issues and Implications

Vieli¹,

Nick²

2011

The Earth's Cryosphere and Sea Level Change

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Recent dramatic acceleration, thinning and retreat of tidewater outlet glaciers in Greenland raises concern regarding their contribution to future sea-level rise. These dynamic changes seem to be parallel to oceanic and climatic warming but the linking mechanisms and forcings are poorly understood and, furthermore, large-scale ice sheet models are currently unable to realistically simulate such changes which provides a major limitation in our ability to predict dynamic mass losses. In this paper we apply a specifically designed numerical flowband model to Jakobshavn Isbrae (JIB), a major marine outlet glacier of the Greenland ice sheet, and we explore and discuss the basic concepts and emerging issues in our understanding and modelling ability of the dynamics of tidewater outlet glaciers. The modelling demonstrates that enhanced ocean melt is able to trigger the observed dynamic changes of JIB but it heavily relies on the feedback between calving and terminus retreat and therefore the loss of buttressing. Through the same feedback, other forcings such as reduced winter sea-ice duration can produce similar rapid retreat. This highlights the need for a robust representation of the calving process and for improvements in the understanding and implementation of forcings at the marine boundary in predictive ice sheet models. Furthermore, the modelling uncovers high sensitivity and rapid adjustment of marine outlet glaciers to perturbations at their marine boundary implying that care should be taken in interpreting or extrapolating such rapid dynamic changes as recently observed in Greenland.

show abstract

“…Greenland's fast-flowing outlet glaciers respond sensitively and rapidly to atmospheric and oceanic perturbations 3,6,7 . Such responses include acceleration, thinning and rapid retreat of outlet glacier termini in the west and east 8 , coincident with increases in air and regional ocean temperatures 6 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such responses include acceleration, thinning and rapid retreat of outlet glacier termini in the west and east 8 , coincident with increases in air and regional ocean temperatures 6 . One of the largest retreats was observed on Jakobshavn Isbrae in west Greenland, followed by more than a doubling in flow speed and continued thinning 9 .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Future sea-level rise from Greenland’s main outlet glaciers in a warming climate

Nick

Vieli

Andersen

et al. 2013

Nature

276

296

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Over the past decade, ice loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet increased as a result of both increased surface melting and ice discharge to the ocean 1,2 . The latter is controlled by acceleration of ice flow and subsequent thinning of fast-flowing marine-terminating outlet glaciers 3 . Quantifying the future dynamic contribution of such glaciers to sea-level rise (SLR) remains a major challenge since outlet-glacier dynamics are poorly understood 4 . Here we present a model that includes a fully dynamic treatment of marine termini. We use this model to

show abstract

Acceleration of Jakobshavn Isbræ triggered by warm subsurface ocean waters

Cited by 773 publications

References 23 publications

Physical controls and interannual variability of the Labrador Sea spring phytoplankton bloom in distinct regions

Physical controls and interannual variability of the Labrador Sea spring phytoplankton bloom in distinct regions

Understanding and Modelling Rapid Dynamic Changes of Tidewater Outlet Glaciers: Issues and Implications

Future sea-level rise from Greenland’s main outlet glaciers in a warming climate

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About