Sustained retreat of the Pine Island Glacier
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Material Information

Title:
Sustained retreat of the Pine Island Glacier
Series Title:
Geophysical Research Letters Volume 40
Creator:
Park, J.W.
Gourmelen, N.
Shepherd,A.
Kim, S.W.
Vaughan, D.G.
Wingham, D.J.
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union
Publication Date:
Language:
English

Subjects

Subjects / Keywords:
Climate Change ( lcsh )
Sea Level Rise ( lcsh )
Antarctica ( lcsh )

Notes

Abstract:
We use satellite observations to show that, between 1992 and 2011, the Pine Island Glacier hinge line retreated at a rate of 0.95, plus or minus,0.09 km yr -1 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, plus or minus,0.15 m yr -2, 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. ( English )

Record Information

Source Institution:
Florida International University
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Aggregations:
Sea Level Rise