Premium
Topographic Steering of Enhanced Ice Flow at the Bottleneck Between East and West Antarctica
Author(s) -
Winter Kate,
Ross Neil,
Ferraccioli Fausto,
Jordan Tom A.,
Corr Hugh F. J.,
Forsberg René,
Matsuoka Kenichi,
Olesen Arne V.,
Casal Tania G.
Publication year - 2018
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 - 10.1029/2018gl077504
Subject(s) - geology , ice stream , antarctic ice sheet , ice sheet , ice shelf , cryosphere , oceanography , drift ice , antarctic sea ice , fast ice , sea ice , depth sounding , arctic ice pack
Hypothesized drawdown of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet through the “bottleneck” zone between East and West Antarctica would have significant impacts for a large proportion of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Earth observation satellite orbits and a sparseness of radio echo sounding data have restricted investigations of basal boundary controls on ice flow in this region until now. New airborne radio echo sounding surveys reveal complex topography of high relief beneath the southernmost Weddell/Ross ice divide, with three subglacial troughs connecting interior Antarctica to the Foundation and Patuxent Ice Streams and Siple Coast ice streams. These troughs route enhanced ice flow through the interior of Antarctica but limit potential drawdown of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet through the bottleneck zone. In a thinning or retreating scenario, these topographically controlled corridors of enhanced flow could however drive ice divide migration and increase mass discharge from interior West Antarctica to the Southern Ocean.