Seasonal speedup of a Greenland marine-terminating outlet glacier forced by surface melt-induced changes in subglacial hydrology

Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface

Volumn 116, Issue 3, 2011, Pages

  Sole, A J ^a,b   Mair, D W F ^b   Nienow, P W ^a   Bartholomew, I D ^a   King, M A ^c   Burke, M J ^d   Joughin, I ^e  

^a UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH   (United Kingdom)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN   (United Kingdom)

^c NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY   (United Kingdom)

^d SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY   (Canada)

^e UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

DRAINAGE; FLOW MEASUREMENT; GLACIAL HYDROLOGY; GPS; ICE FLOW; MELTWATER; PEAK ACCELERATION; UPLIFT;

ARCTIC; GREENLAND;

EID: 80052069718     PISSN: None     EISSN: 21699011     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1029/2010JF001948     Document Type: Article

References (65)

1. Amundson, J., M. Fahnestock, M. Truffer, J. Brown, M. Luthi, and R. Motyka (2010), Ice melange dynamics and implications for terminus stability, Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F01005, doi:10.1029/2009JF001405.
2. Andersen, M. L., et al. (2010), Spatial and temporal melt variability at Helheim Glacier, east Greenland, and its effect on ice dynamics, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F04041, doi:10.1029/2010JF001760.
3. Anderson, R., S. Anderson, K. MacGregor, E. Waddington, S. O'Neel, C. Riihimaki, and M. Loso (2004), Strong feedbacks between hydrology and sliding of a small alpine glacier, J. Geophys. Res., 109, F03005, doi:10.1029/ 2004JF000120.
4. Balise, M., and C. Raymond (1985), Transfer of basal sliding variations to the surface of a linearly viscous glacier, J. Glaciol., 31, 308-318.
5. Bamber, J., S. Ekholm, and W. Krabill (2001), A new, high-resolution digital elevation model of Greenland fully validated with airborne laser altimeter data, J. Geophys. Res., 106, 6733-6745.
6. Bartholomaus, T. C., R. S. Anderson, and S. P. Anderson (2008), Response of glacier basal motion to transient water storage, Nat. Geosci., 1, 33-37.
7. Bartholomew, I., P. Nienow, D. Mair, A. Hubbard, M. King, and A. Sole (2010), Seasonal evolution of subglacial drainage and acceleration in a Greenland outlet glacier, Nat. Geosci., 3, 408-411, doi:10.1038/ NGEO863.
8. Box, J., and K. Ski (2007), Remote sounding of Greenland supraglacial melt lakes: Implications for subglacial hydraulics, J. Glaciol., 53, 257-265.
9. Catania, G., and T. Neumann (2010), Persistent englacial drainage features in the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L02501, doi:10.1029/2009GL041108.
10. Chen, G. (1998), GPS kinematic positioning for the airborne laser altimetry at Long Valley, California, Ph.D. thesis, Mass. Inst. of Technol., Cambridge.
11. Das, S. B., I. Joughin, M. Behn, I. Howat, M. A. King, D. Lizarralde, and M. P. Bhatia (2008), Fracture propagation to the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet during supraglacial lake drainage, Science, 320, 778-781, doi:10.1126/science.1153360. (Pubitemid 351929623)
12. Echelmeyer, K., and W. Harrison (1990), Jakobshavn Isbrae, west Greenland, seasonal variations in velocity-Or lack thereof, J. Glaciol., 36, 82-88.
13. Fudge, T., J. Harper, N. Humphrey, and W. Pfeffer (2009), Rapid glacier sliding, reverse ice motion and subglacial water pressure during an autumn rainstorm, Ann. Glaciol., 50, 101-108.
14. Gumley, L., J. Descloitres, and J. Schmaltz (2007), Creating reprojected MODIS true color images: A tutorial, version 1.0.1, Univ. of Wis.- Madison, Madison.
15. Herring, T., R. King, and S. McClusky (2010), Documentation for the GAMIT GPS analysis software, version 10.3, Mass. Inst. of Technol., Cambridge.
16. Howat, I., I. Joughin, S. Tulaczyk, and S. Gogineni (2005), Rapid retreat and acceleration of Helheim Glacier, east Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L22502, doi:10.1029/2005GL024737. (Pubitemid 43092265)
17. Howat, I., I. Joughin, and T. Scambos (2007), Rapid changes in ice discharge from Greenland outlet glaciers, Science, 315, 1559-1561, doi:10.1126/ science.1138478. (Pubitemid 46449468)
18. Howat, I., J. Box, Y. Ahn, A. Herrington, and E. McFadden (2010), Seasonal variability in the dynamics of marine-terminating outlet glaciers in Greenland, J. Glaciol., 56, 601-613.
19. Howat, I. M., S. Tulaczyk, E. Waddington, and H. Björnsson (2008), Dynamic controls on glacier basal motion inferred from surface ice motion, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F03015, doi:10.1029/2007JF000925.
20. Huybrechts, P., J. Gregory, I. Janssens, and M. Wild (2004), Modelling Antarctic and Greenland volume changes during the 20th and 21st centuries forced by GCM time slice integrations, Global Planet. Change, 42, 83-105. (Pubitemid 38946032)
21. Iken,A. (1981), The effect of the subglacialwater pressure on the sliding velocity of a glacier in an idealized numerical model, J. Glaciol., 27, 407-421.
22. Iken, A., and R. A. Bindschadler (1986), Combined measurements of subglacial water pressure and surface velocity of Findelengletscher, Switzerland: Conclusions about drainage system and sliding mechanism, J. Glaciol., 32, 101-119.
23. Iken, A., H. Rothlisberger, A. Flotron, and W. Haeberli (1983), The uplift of Unteraargletscher at the beginning of the melt season-A consequence of water storage at the bed?, J. Glaciol., 29, 28-47.
24. Joughin, I., S. Tulaczyk, M. Fahnestock, and R. Kwok (1996), A mini surge on the Ryder Glacier, Greenland, observed by satellite radar interferometry, Science, 274, 228-230.
25. Joughin, I., S. Das, M. King, B. Smith, I. Howat, and T. Moon (2008a), Seasonal speedup along the western flank of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 320, 781-783, doi:10.1126/science.1153288. (Pubitemid 351929624)
26. Joughin, I., I. Howat, M. Fahnestock, B. Smith, W. Krabill, R. Alley, H. Stern, and M. Truffer (2008b), Continued evolution of Jakobshavn Isbrae following its rapid speedup, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F04006, doi:10.1029/ 2008JF001023.
27. Joughin, I., B. Smith, I. Howat, T. Scambos, and T. Moon (2010), Greenland flow variability from ice-sheet-wide velocity mapping, J. Glaciol., 56, 415-430.
28. Kamb, B. (1987), Glacier surge mechanism based on linked cavity configuration of the basal water conduit system, J. Geophys. Res., 92, 9083-9100.
29. Kamb, B., and K. A. Echelmeyer (1986), Stress-gradient coupling in glacier flow: 1. Longitudinal averaging of the influence of ice thickness and surface slope, J. Glaciol., 32, 267-298.
30. Kamb, B., C. Raymond, W. Harrison, H. Engelhardt, K. Echelmeyer, N. Humphrey, M. Brugman, and T. Pfeffer (1985), Glacier surge mechanism: 1982-1983 surge of Variegated Glacier, Alaska, Science, 227, 469-479. (Pubitemid 15252328)
31. Kamb, B., H. Engelhardt, M. Fahenstock, N. Humphrey, M. Meier, and D. Stone (1994), Mechanical and hydrologic basis for the rapid motion of a large tidewater glacier: 2. Interpretation, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 14,231-15,244.
32. King, M. (2004), Rigorous GPS data-processing strategies for glaciological applications, J. Glaciol., 50, 601-607. (Pubitemid 41226952)
33. Krawczynski, M., M. Behn, S. Das, and I. Joughin (2009), Constraints on the lake volume required for hydro-fracture through ice sheets, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L10501, doi:10.1029/2008GL036765.
34. Lemke, P., et al. (2007), Observations: Changes in snow, ice and frozen ground, in Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, edited by S. Solomon et al., chap. 4, pp. 337-384, Cambridge Univ. Press, New York.
35. Luckman, A., and T. Murray (2005), Seasonal variation in velocity before retreat of Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L08501, doi:10.1029/2005GL022519. (Pubitemid 41043261)
36. Mair, D., P. Nienow, M. Sharp, T. Wohlleben, and I. Willis (2002), Influence of subglacial drainage system evolution on glacier surface motion: Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, J. Geophys. Res., 107(B8), 2175, doi:10.1029/2001JB000514.
37. Mair, D., I. Willis, U. Fischer, B. Hubbard, P. Nienow, and A. Hubbard (2003), Hydrological controls on patterns of surface, internal and basal motion during three "spring events": Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switerland, J. Glaciol., 49, 555-567. (Pubitemid 39048031)
38. Meier, M., S. Lundstrom, D. Stone, B. Kamb, H. Engelhardt, N. Humphrey, W. W. Dunlap, M. Fahnestock, R. M. Krimmel, and R. Walters (1994), Mechanical and hydrologic basis for the rapid motion of a large tidewater glacier: 1. Observations, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 15,219-15,229.
39. Moon, T., and I. Joughin (2008), Changes in ice front position on Greenland's outlet glaciers from 1992 to 2007, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F02022, doi:10.1029/2007JF000927.
40. Nick, F., A. Vieli, I. Howat, and I. Joughin (2009), Large-scale changes in Greenland outlet glacier dynamics triggered at the terminus, Nat. Geosci., 2, 110-114, doi:10.1038/ngeo394.
41. Nienow, P., M. Sharp, and I. Willis (1998), Seasonal changes in the morphology of the subglacial drainage system, Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland, Earth Surf. Processes Landforms, 23, 825-843. (Pubitemid 29033391)
42. O'Neel, S., K. Echelmeyer, and R. Motyka (2001), Short-term flow dynamics of a retreating tidewater glacier: LeConte Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A., J. Glaciol., 47, 567-578. (Pubitemid 34495062)
43. Parizek, B., and R. Alley (2004), Implications of increased Greenland surface melt under global-warming scenarios: Ice sheet simulations, Quat. Sci. Rev., 23, 1013-1027. (Pubitemid 38583531)
44. Parry, V., P. Nienow, D. Mair, J. Scott, B. Hubbard, K. Steffen, and D. Wingham (2007), Investigations of meltwater refreezing and density variations in the snowpack and firn within the percolation zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Ann. Glaciol., 46, 61-68.
45. Pfeffer, W., M. Meier, and T. Illangasekare (1991), Retention of Greenland runoff by refreezing: Implications for projected future sea level change, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 22,117-22,124.
46. Pimentel, S., and G. Flowers (2010), A numerical study of hydrologically driven glacier dynamics and subglacial flooding, Proc. R. Soc. A, 467, 537-558, doi:10.1098/rspa.2010.0211.
47. Price, S., A. Payne, G. Catania, and T. Neumann (2008), Seasonal acceleration of inland ice via longitudinal coupling to marginal ice, J. Glaciol., 54, 213-219.
48. Pritchard, H., R. Arthern, D. Vaughan, and L. Edwards (2009), Extensive dynamic thinning on the margins of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets, Nature, 461, 971-975, doi:10.1038/nature08471.
49. Rignot, E., and P. Kanagaratnam (2006), Changes in the velocity structure of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 311, 986-990, doi:10.1126/ science.1121381. (Pubitemid 43271722)
50. Rignot, E., J. Box, E. Burgess, and E. Hanna (2008), Mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1958 to 2007, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L20502, doi:10.1029/2008GL035417.
51. Schoof, C. (2010), Ice-sheet acceleration driven by melt supply variability, Nature, 468, 803-806, doi:10.1038/nature09618.
52. Shepherd, A., and D. Wingham (2007), Recent sea-level contributions of the Antarctic and Greenland Ice Sheets, Science, 315, 1529-1532, doi:10.1126/science.1136776. (Pubitemid 46449460)
53. Shepherd, A., A. Hubbard, P. Nienow, M. King, M. McMillan, and I. Joughin (2009), Greenland Ice Sheet motion coupled with daily melting in late summer, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L01501, doi:10.1029/ 2008GL035758.
54. Shreve, R. (1972), Movement of water in glaciers, J. Glaciol., 11, 205-214.
55. Sneed, W. A., and G. S. Hamilton (2007), Evolution of melt pond volume on the surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L03501, doi:10.1029/2006GL028697. (Pubitemid 47277589)
56. Spring, U., and K. Hutter (1981), Numerical studies of jökulhlaups, Cold Reg. Sci. Technol., 4, 227-244.
57. Sundal, A., A. Shepherd, P. Nienow, E. Hanna, S. Palmer, and P. Huybrechts (2009), Evolution of supra-glacial lakes across the Greenland Ice Sheet, Remote Sens. Environ., 113, 2164-2171.
58. Tedesco, M. (2007), Snowmelt over the Greenland and Antarctica Ice Sheets from spaceborne radiometric data: Extreme events and updated trends, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L02504, doi:10.1029/2006GL028466. (Pubitemid 47277666)
59. Tedesco, M., M. Serreze, and X. Fettweis (2008), Diagnosing the extreme surface melt event over southwestern Greenland in 2007, Cryosphere, 2, 159-166.
60. Thomas, R. (2004), Force-perturbation analysis of recent thinning and acceleration of Jakobshavn Isbrae, Greenland, J. Glaciol., 50, 57-66. (Pubitemid 40067989)
61. Thomas, R., E. Frederick, W. Krabill, S. Manizade, and C. Martin (2009), Recent changes on Greenland outlet glaciers, J. Glaciol., 55, 147-162.
62. van de Wal, R., W. Boot, M. van den Broeke, C. Smeets, C. Reijmer, J. Donker, and J. Oerlemans (2008), Large and rapid melt-induced velocity changes in the ablation zone of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 321, 111-113, doi:10.1126/science.1158540. (Pubitemid 351956243)
63. van den Broeke, M., J. Bamber, J. Ettema, E. Rignot, E. Schrama, W. J. van de Berg, E. van Meijgaard, I. Velicogna, and B. Wouters (2009), Partitioning recent Greenland mass loss, Science, 326, 984-986, doi:10.1126/science.1178176.
64. van der Veen, C. J. (2007), Fracture propagation as means of rapidly transferring surface meltwater to the base of glaciers, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L01501, doi:10.1029/2006GL028385. (Pubitemid 47277731)
65. Zwally, H., W. Abdalati, T. Herring, K. Larson, J. Saba, and K. Steffen (2002), Surface melt-induced acceleration of Greenland Ice Sheet flow, Science, 297, 218-222, doi:10.1126/science.1072708. (Pubitemid 34761277)