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Crystal orientation fabric anisotropy causes directional hardening of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream

Author

Listed:
  • Tamara Annina Gerber

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • David A. Lilien

    (University of Manitoba)

  • Nicholas Mossor Rathmann

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Steven Franke

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Tun Jan Young

    (University of Cambridge
    University of St Andrews)

  • Fernando Valero-Delgado

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • M. Reza Ershadi

    (Tübingen University)

  • Reinhard Drews

    (Tübingen University)

  • Ole Zeising

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Angelika Humbert

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
    University of Bremen)

  • Nicolas Stoll

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
    University of Bremen)

  • Ilka Weikusat

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
    Tübingen University)

  • Aslak Grinsted

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Christine Schøtt Hvidberg

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Daniela Jansen

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Heinrich Miller

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Veit Helm

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Daniel Steinhage

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research)

  • Charles O’Neill

    (EH Group Inc.)

  • John Paden

    (University of Kansas)

  • Siva Prasad Gogineni

    (University of Alabama)

  • Dorthe Dahl-Jensen

    (University of Copenhagen
    University of Manitoba)

  • Olaf Eisen

    (Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research
    University of Bremen)

Abstract

The dynamic mass loss of ice sheets constitutes one of the biggest uncertainties in projections of ice-sheet evolution. One central, understudied aspect of ice flow is how the bulk orientation of the crystal orientation fabric translates to the mechanical anisotropy of ice. Here we show the spatial distribution of the depth-averaged horizontal anisotropy and corresponding directional flow-enhancement factors covering a large area of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream onset. Our results are based on airborne and ground-based radar surveys, ice-core observations, and numerical ice-flow modelling. They show a strong spatial variability of the horizontal anisotropy and a rapid crystal reorganisation on the order of hundreds of years coinciding with the ice-stream geometry. Compared to isotropic ice, parts of the ice stream are found to be more than one order of magnitude harder for along-flow extension/compression while the shear margins are potentially softened by a factor of two for horizontal-shear deformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Tamara Annina Gerber & David A. Lilien & Nicholas Mossor Rathmann & Steven Franke & Tun Jan Young & Fernando Valero-Delgado & M. Reza Ershadi & Reinhard Drews & Ole Zeising & Angelika Humbert & Nicola, 2023. "Crystal orientation fabric anisotropy causes directional hardening of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:14:y:2023:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-023-38139-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38139-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shfaqat A. Khan & Youngmin Choi & Mathieu Morlighem & Eric Rignot & Veit Helm & Angelika Humbert & Jérémie Mouginot & Romain Millan & Kurt H. Kjær & Anders A. Bjørk, 2022. "Extensive inland thinning and speed-up of Northeast Greenland Ice Stream," Nature, Nature, vol. 611(7937), pages 727-732, November.
    2. Andy Aschwanden & Mark A. Fahnestock & Martin Truffer, 2016. "Complex Greenland outlet glacier flow captured," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-8, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniela Jansen & Steven Franke & Catherine C. Bauer & Tobias Binder & Dorthe Dahl-Jensen & Jan Eichler & Olaf Eisen & Yuanbang Hu & Johanna Kerch & Maria-Gema Llorens & Heinrich Miller & Niklas Neckel, 2024. "Shear margins in upper half of Northeast Greenland Ice Stream were established two millennia ago," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.

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