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Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica

Anna Crawford Orcid Logo, Jan Åström, Douglas I. Benn Orcid Logo, Adrian Luckman Orcid Logo, Rupert Gladstone Orcid Logo, Thomas Zwinger Orcid Logo, Fredrik Robertsén Orcid Logo, Suzanne Bevan Orcid Logo

Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, Volume: 129, Issue: 10

Swansea University Authors: Adrian Luckman Orcid Logo, Suzanne Bevan Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1029/2024jf007737

Abstract

The western region of the wide Thwaites Glacier terminus is characterized by a near‐vertical calving front. The grounding line at this western calving front (WCF) rests on a relatively high ridge, behind which exists a reverse‐sloping bed; retreat of the grounding line into this over‐deepening basin...

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Published in: Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
ISSN: 2169-9003 2169-9011
Published: Wiley 2024
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa68068
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The grounding line at this western calving front (WCF) rests on a relatively high ridge, behind which exists a reverse‐sloping bed; retreat of the grounding line into this over‐deepening basin could therefore expose deep calving faces that may be subject to ice‐cliff failure. Here, we use the 3D Helsinki Discrete Element Model to identify the factors that control the calving dynamics in this location. We then focus on the ability of mélange to influence these dynamics given the wide embayment in which Thwaites Glacier terminates. We find that calving along the WCF is currently influenced by ice flow across the grounding line and consequent longitudinal tensile stress and rift formation. Calving is slowed in simulations that are initiated with a highly constricted mélange, with a thicker mélange suppressing calving entirely. We liken the constrained simulations to a scenario in which mélange piles behind a large grounded iceberg. In a future which may see calving become a more dominant control on the retreat of Thwaites Glacier, this type of blockage will be necessary for robust force chains to develop and transmit resistive forces to the terminus. The ability of the mélange to hinder calving at this location will be determined by the presence and rigidity of binding land‐fast sea ice and iceberg keel depths. 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spelling v2 68068 2024-10-25 Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica 008cb668b2671b653a88677f075799a9 0000-0002-9618-5905 Adrian Luckman Adrian Luckman true false 758d19253522c8c306d4eea0e6e484f6 0000-0003-2649-2982 Suzanne Bevan Suzanne Bevan true false 2024-10-25 BGPS The western region of the wide Thwaites Glacier terminus is characterized by a near‐vertical calving front. The grounding line at this western calving front (WCF) rests on a relatively high ridge, behind which exists a reverse‐sloping bed; retreat of the grounding line into this over‐deepening basin could therefore expose deep calving faces that may be subject to ice‐cliff failure. Here, we use the 3D Helsinki Discrete Element Model to identify the factors that control the calving dynamics in this location. We then focus on the ability of mélange to influence these dynamics given the wide embayment in which Thwaites Glacier terminates. We find that calving along the WCF is currently influenced by ice flow across the grounding line and consequent longitudinal tensile stress and rift formation. Calving is slowed in simulations that are initiated with a highly constricted mélange, with a thicker mélange suppressing calving entirely. We liken the constrained simulations to a scenario in which mélange piles behind a large grounded iceberg. In a future which may see calving become a more dominant control on the retreat of Thwaites Glacier, this type of blockage will be necessary for robust force chains to develop and transmit resistive forces to the terminus. The ability of the mélange to hinder calving at this location will be determined by the presence and rigidity of binding land‐fast sea ice and iceberg keel depths. Therefore, it is necessary to represent calving, mélange and sea ice in a single framework to predict the fate of Thwaites Glacier. Journal Article Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 129 10 Wiley 2169-9003 2169-9011 Thwaites Glacier, calving, mélange 23 10 2024 2024-10-23 10.1029/2024jf007737 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences Geography and Physics School COLLEGE CODE BGPS Swansea University Another institution paid the OA fee Leverhulme Trust Grant Number: 2021-440, Academy of Finland Grant Number: 322430; 322978, Natural Environment Research Council Grant Number: NE/S006605/1, HPC-Europa3 Grant Number: 730897, Research Council of Finland. 2024-10-25T13:52:19.2856515 2024-10-25T13:33:49.4834022 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography Anna Crawford 0000-0003-3620-1130 1 Jan Åström 2 Douglas I. Benn 0009-0008-5224-4433 3 Adrian Luckman 0000-0002-9618-5905 4 Rupert Gladstone 0000-0002-1582-3857 5 Thomas Zwinger 0000-0003-3360-4401 6 Fredrik Robertsén 0000-0001-8455-274X 7 Suzanne Bevan 0000-0003-2649-2982 8 68068__32725__75db4e3c3d774f778485758b0d878415.pdf 2024JF007737.pdf 2024-10-25T13:33:49.4608033 Output 7416450 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0). true eng http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
spellingShingle Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
Adrian Luckman
Suzanne Bevan
title_short Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
title_full Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
title_fullStr Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
title_full_unstemmed Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
title_sort Calving Dynamics and the Potential Impact of Mélange Buttressing at the Western Calving Front of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica
author_id_str_mv 008cb668b2671b653a88677f075799a9
758d19253522c8c306d4eea0e6e484f6
author_id_fullname_str_mv 008cb668b2671b653a88677f075799a9_***_Adrian Luckman
758d19253522c8c306d4eea0e6e484f6_***_Suzanne Bevan
author Adrian Luckman
Suzanne Bevan
author2 Anna Crawford
Jan Åström
Douglas I. Benn
Adrian Luckman
Rupert Gladstone
Thomas Zwinger
Fredrik Robertsén
Suzanne Bevan
format Journal article
container_title Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
container_volume 129
container_issue 10
publishDate 2024
institution Swansea University
issn 2169-9003
2169-9011
doi_str_mv 10.1029/2024jf007737
publisher Wiley
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Geography
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description The western region of the wide Thwaites Glacier terminus is characterized by a near‐vertical calving front. The grounding line at this western calving front (WCF) rests on a relatively high ridge, behind which exists a reverse‐sloping bed; retreat of the grounding line into this over‐deepening basin could therefore expose deep calving faces that may be subject to ice‐cliff failure. Here, we use the 3D Helsinki Discrete Element Model to identify the factors that control the calving dynamics in this location. We then focus on the ability of mélange to influence these dynamics given the wide embayment in which Thwaites Glacier terminates. We find that calving along the WCF is currently influenced by ice flow across the grounding line and consequent longitudinal tensile stress and rift formation. Calving is slowed in simulations that are initiated with a highly constricted mélange, with a thicker mélange suppressing calving entirely. We liken the constrained simulations to a scenario in which mélange piles behind a large grounded iceberg. In a future which may see calving become a more dominant control on the retreat of Thwaites Glacier, this type of blockage will be necessary for robust force chains to develop and transmit resistive forces to the terminus. The ability of the mélange to hinder calving at this location will be determined by the presence and rigidity of binding land‐fast sea ice and iceberg keel depths. Therefore, it is necessary to represent calving, mélange and sea ice in a single framework to predict the fate of Thwaites Glacier.
published_date 2024-10-23T13:52:17Z
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