Antarctic Elevation Change from 1992 to 1996

Ridout, A.; Scharroo, Remko; Arthern, Robert; Shum, C. K.

doi:10.1126/science.282.5388.456

Cited by 311 publications

(261 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…The thinning appears to be restricted to the domain of the ice stream where it averages 0.75 ± 0.07 m yr À1 . This rate is well above the levels expected from random variations in snowfall [Wingham et al, 1998], and is reflected in Thwaites Glacier and the adjoining Smith Glacier (averaging 0.55 ± 0.09 and 3.21 ± 0.24 m yr À1 , respectively) [Shepherd et al, 2002]. This latter observation is important and points towards an external factor forcing the behaviour of all three ice streams, as opposed to internal surge-type variability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Recent Dramatic Thinning of Largest West Antarctic Ice Stream Triggered by Oceans

Payne¹,

Vieli²,

Shepherd³

et al. 2009

Collected Reprint Series

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 60%

Recent Dramatic Thinning of Largest West Antarctic Ice Stream Triggered by Oceans

Payne¹,

Vieli²,

Shepherd³

et al. 2009

Collected Reprint Series

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“…Time series of surface elevation change were developed at crossing points of the satellites' ground tracks falling within the PIG drainage basin during 35 day orbit repeat mission phases, using the method of dual-cycle crossovers [Zwally et al, 1989]. Elevation measurements were corrected for the lag of the leading edge tracker, surface scattering variation, dry atmospheric mass, water vapour, the ionosphere, solid Earth tide, and ocean loading tide [Wingham et al, 1998;Shepherd et al, 2001;Wingham et al, 2009]. To cross-calibrate the observations recorded by successive satellites, we corrected for the differences between the average elevation changes occurring during periods of mission overlap.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustained retreat of the Pine Island Glacier

Park

Gourmelen

Shepherd

et al. 2013

Geophysical Research Letters

122

133

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[1] We use satellite observations to show that, between 1992 and 2011, the Pine Island Glacier hinge line retreated at a rate of 0.95 AE 0.09 km yr À1 despite a progressive steepening and shoaling of the glacier surface and bedrock slopes, respectively, which ought to impede retreat. The retreat has remained constant because the glacier terminus has thinned at an accelerating rate of 0.53 AE 0.15 m yr À2 , with comparable changes upstream. This acceleration is consistent with an intensification of ocean-driven melting in the cavity beneath the floating section of the glacier. The pattern of hinge-line retreat meanders and is concentrated in isolated regions until ice becomes locally buoyant. Because the glacier-ocean system does not appear to have reached a position of relative stability, the lower limit of sea level projections may be too conservative.

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“…Although changes in the volume of an ice sheet may be estimated by observing variations in its surface elevation (e.g. Wingham et al, 1998;Shepherd et al, 2001 andZwally et al, 2005) and from gravity measurements (e.g. Velicogna, 2009), these methods do not distinguish ice dynamics and accumulation fluctuations which may introduce errors in mass balance estimates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatially extensive estimates of annual accumulation in the dry snow zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet determined from radar altimetry

et al. 2010

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Abstract. We present estimates of accumulation rate along a 200 km transect ranging in elevation from 2750 to 3150 m in the dry snow zone on the western slope of the Greenland Ice Sheet. An airborne radar altimeter is used to estimate the thickness of annual internal layers and, in conjunction with ground based snow/firn density profiles, annual accumulation rates between 1998 and 2003 are derived. A clear gradient in the thickness of each layer observed by the radar altimeter and in the associated estimates of annual accumulation is seen along the transect, with a 33.6%± 16% mean decrease in accumulation from west to east. The observed inter-annual variability is high, with the annual mean accumulation rate estimated at 0.359 m.w.e. yr −1 (s.d. ± 0.049 m.w.e. yr −1 ). Mean accumulation rates modelled using meteorological models overestimate our results by 16% on average, but by 32% and 42% in the years 2001 and 2002. The methodology presented here demonstrates the potential to obtain accurate and spatially extensive accumulation rates from radar altimeters in regions of ice sheets where field observations are sparse, and accumulation rates greater than several tens of cm.

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Antarctic Elevation Change from 1992 to 1996

Cited by 311 publications

References 21 publications

Recent Dramatic Thinning of Largest West Antarctic Ice Stream Triggered by Oceans

Recent Dramatic Thinning of Largest West Antarctic Ice Stream Triggered by Oceans

Sustained retreat of the Pine Island Glacier

Spatially extensive estimates of annual accumulation in the dry snow zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet determined from radar altimetry

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