HR: 0800h
AN: C51A-0100    [Abstracts]
TI: Increased dynamic thinning due to the enhanced basal flow induced by surface meltwater in the Greenland ice sheet
AU: * Wang, W
EM: weili.wang@nasa.gov
AF: SGT, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Li, J
EM: jun.li@nasa.gov
AF: SGT, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AU: Zwally, J
EM: Jay.zwally@nasa.gov
AF: Cryospheric Sciences Branch, NASA/GSFC, Code 614.1, Greenbelt, MD 20771, United States
AB: The satellite altimetry measurements during the time periods of ERS (1992 -2002) and ICESat (since 2003) have shown that the ice surface averaged thinning-rate at Swiss Camp Site, near the equilibrium line in the coastal region of West Greenland, increases from 0.14 m yr-1 to 0.68 m yr-1. Recent flowline modeling study indicates that the thinning during ICESat period is due to about 35% ice dynamic response to the increased seasonal basal sliding induced by surface meltwater and this dynamic thinning-rate increases about an order of magnitude from ERS period to ICESat period. A 3-dimensional ice flow model is developed with incorporation of the seasonal basal sliding induced by the penetration of surface meltwater through ice-sheet moulins and crevasses. The surface meltwater is determined based on the satellite observed surface temperature during the time period of 1982 -2006. The model is applied to the Greenland ice sheet to estimate the dynamic thinning caused by surface meltwater enhancing basal sliding, which provides a mechanism for rapid dynamic response of the ice sheet to climate change.
DE: 0726 Ice sheets
DE: 0774 Dynamics
DE: 0776 Glaciology (1621, 1827, 1863)
DE: 0798 Modeling
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting