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Atlantic water intrusion triggers rapid retreat and regime change at previously stable Greenland glacier

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Listed:
  • T. R. Chudley

    (Ohio State University
    Durham University)

  • I. M. Howat

    (Ohio State University
    Ohio State University)

  • M. D. King

    (University of Washington)

  • A. Negrete

    (Ohio State University)

Abstract

Ice discharge from Greenland’s marine-terminating glaciers contributes to half of all mass loss from the ice sheet, with numerous mechanisms proposed to explain their retreat. Here, we examine K.I.V Steenstrups Nordre Bræ (‘Steenstrup’) in Southeast Greenland, which, between 2018 and 2021, retreated ~7 km, thinned ~20%, doubled in discharge, and accelerated ~300%. This rate of change is unprecedented amongst Greenland’s glaciers and now places Steenstrup in the top 10% of glaciers by contribution to ice-sheet-wide discharge. In contrast to expected behaviour from a shallow, grounded tidewater glacier, Steenstrup was insensitive to high surface temperatures that destabilised many regional glaciers in 2016, appearing instead to respond to a >2 °C anomaly in deeper Atlantic water (AW) in 2018. By 2021, a rigid proglacial mélange had developed alongside notable seasonal variability. Steenstrup’s behaviour highlights that even long-term stable glaciers with high sills are vulnerable to sudden and rapid retreat from warm AW intrusion.

Suggested Citation

  • T. R. Chudley & I. M. Howat & M. D. King & A. Negrete, 2023. "Atlantic water intrusion triggers rapid retreat and regime change at previously stable Greenland glacier," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-37764-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37764-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fiammetta Straneo & Patrick Heimbach, 2013. "North Atlantic warming and the retreat of Greenland's outlet glaciers," Nature, Nature, vol. 504(7478), pages 36-43, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Benjamin J. Wallis & Anna E. Hogg & Michael P. Meredith & Romilly Close & Dominic Hardy & Malcolm McMillan & Jan Wuite & Thomas Nagler & Carlos Moffat, 2023. "Ocean warming drives rapid dynamic activation of marine-terminating glacier on the west Antarctic Peninsula," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.

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