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Modeling the instantaneous response of glaciers after the collapse of the Larsen B Ice Shelf
Author(s) -
De Rydt J.,
Gudmundsson G. H.,
Rott H.,
Bamber J. L.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl064355
Subject(s) - ice shelf , geology , glacier , ice stream , antarctic sea ice , ice sheet , flow (mathematics) , oceanography , geomorphology , climatology , sea ice , cryosphere , mechanics , physics
Following the disintegration of the Larsen B Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula, in 2002, regular surveillance of its ∼20 tributary glaciers has revealed a response which is varied and complex in both space and time. The major outlets have accelerated and thinned, smaller glaciers have shown little or no change, and glaciers flowing into the remnant Scar Inlet Ice Shelf have responded with delay. In this study we present the first areawide numerical analysis of glacier dynamics before and immediately after the collapse of the ice shelf, combining new data sets and a state‐of‐the‐art numerical ice flow model. We simulate the loss of buttressing at the grounding line and find a good qualitative agreement between modeled changes in glacier flow and observations. Through this study, we seek to improve confidence in our numerical models and their ability to capture the complex mechanical coupling between floating ice shelves and grounded ice.