{"title":"The role of channelized basal melt in ice-shelf stability: recent progress and future priorities","authors":"K. Alley, T. Scambos, R. Alley","doi":"10.1017/aog.2023.5","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract Basal channels, which form where buoyant plumes of ocean water and meltwater carve troughs upwards into ice-shelf bases, are widespread on Antarctic ice shelves. The formation of these features modulates ice-shelf basal melt by influencing the flow of buoyant plumes, and influences structural stability through concentration of strain and interactions with fractures. Because of these effects, and because basal channels can change rapidly, on timescales similar to those of ice-shelf evolution, constraining the impacts of basal channels on ice shelves is necessary for predicting future ice-shelf destabilization and retreat. We suggest that future research priorities should include constraining patterns and rates of basal channel change, determining mechanisms and detailed patterns of basal melt, and quantifying the influence that channel-related fractures have on ice-shelf stability.","PeriodicalId":8211,"journal":{"name":"Annals of Glaciology","volume":"63 1","pages":"18 - 22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5000,"publicationDate":"2022-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"4","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Annals of Glaciology","FirstCategoryId":"89","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1017/aog.2023.5","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GEOGRAPHY, PHYSICAL","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 4
Abstract
Abstract Basal channels, which form where buoyant plumes of ocean water and meltwater carve troughs upwards into ice-shelf bases, are widespread on Antarctic ice shelves. The formation of these features modulates ice-shelf basal melt by influencing the flow of buoyant plumes, and influences structural stability through concentration of strain and interactions with fractures. Because of these effects, and because basal channels can change rapidly, on timescales similar to those of ice-shelf evolution, constraining the impacts of basal channels on ice shelves is necessary for predicting future ice-shelf destabilization and retreat. We suggest that future research priorities should include constraining patterns and rates of basal channel change, determining mechanisms and detailed patterns of basal melt, and quantifying the influence that channel-related fractures have on ice-shelf stability.
期刊介绍:
Annals of Glaciology publishes original scientific articles and letters in selected aspects of glaciology-the study of ice. Each issue of the Annals is thematic, focussing on a specific subject. The Council of the International Glaciological Society welcomes proposals for thematic issues from the glaciological community. Once a theme is approved, the Council appoints an Associate Chief Editor and a team of Scientific Editors to handle the submission, peer review and publication of papers.