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Antarctic iceberg impacts on future Southern Hemisphere climate

Author

Listed:
  • Fabian Schloesser

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa
    University of Hawaii at Manoa)

  • Tobias Friedrich

    (University of Hawaii at Manoa
    University of Hawaii at Manoa)

  • Axel Timmermann

    (Institute for Basic Science
    Pusan National University)

  • Robert M. DeConto

    (University of Massachusetts)

  • David Pollard

    (Pennsylvania State University)

Abstract

Future iceberg and meltwater discharge from the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) could substantially exceed present levels, with strong implications for future climate and sea levels. Recent climate model simulations on the impact of a rapid disintegration of the AIS on climate have applied idealized freshwater forcing scenarios1,2 rather than the more realistic iceberg forcing. Here we use a coupled climate–iceberg model to determine the climatic effects of combined iceberg latent heat of fusion and freshwater forcing. The iceberg forcing is derived from an ensemble of future simulations conducted using the Penn State ice-sheet model3. In agreement with previous studies, the simulated AIS meltwater forcing causes a substantial delay in greenhouse warming in the Southern Hemisphere and activates a transient positive feedback between surface freshening, subsurface warming and ice-sheet/shelf melting, which can last for about 100 years and may contribute to an accelerated ice loss around Antarctica. However, accounting further for the oceanic heat loss due to iceberg melting considerably increases the surface cooling effect and reduces the subsurface temperature feedback amplitude. Our findings document the importance of considering realistic climate–ice sheet–iceberg coupling for future climate and sea-level projections.

Suggested Citation

  • Fabian Schloesser & Tobias Friedrich & Axel Timmermann & Robert M. DeConto & David Pollard, 2019. "Antarctic iceberg impacts on future Southern Hemisphere climate," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 9(9), pages 672-677, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcli:v:9:y:2019:i:9:d:10.1038_s41558-019-0546-1
    DOI: 10.1038/s41558-019-0546-1
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    Cited by:

    1. Hannes Hansen-Magnusson, 2022. "Making Polar and Ocean Governance Future-Proof," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 60-69.
    2. Jun-Young Park & Fabian Schloesser & Axel Timmermann & Dipayan Choudhury & June-Yi Lee & Arjun Babu Nellikkattil, 2023. "Future sea-level projections with a coupled atmosphere-ocean-ice-sheet model," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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