Widespread increase in dynamic imbalance in the Getz region of Antarctica from 1994 to 2018

Heather L. Selley (), Anna E. Hogg, Stephen Cornford, Pierre Dutrieux, Andrew Shepherd, Jan Wuite, Dana Floricioiu, Anders Kusk, Thomas Nagler, Lin Gilbert, Thomas Slater and Tae-Wan Kim
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Heather L. Selley: University of Leeds
Anna E. Hogg: University of Leeds
Stephen Cornford: Swansea University
Pierre Dutrieux: Colombia University
Andrew Shepherd: University of Leeds
Jan Wuite: ENVEO IT GmbH
Dana Floricioiu: German Aerospace Centre (DLR), Remote Sensing Technology Institute
Anders Kusk: Technical University of Denmark
Thomas Nagler: ENVEO IT GmbH
Lin Gilbert: University College London
Thomas Slater: University of Leeds
Tae-Wan Kim: Korea Polar Research Institute

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract The Getz region of West Antarctica is losing ice at an increasing rate; however, the forcing mechanisms remain unclear. Here we use satellite observations and an ice sheet model to measure the change in ice speed and mass balance of the drainage basin over the last 25-years. Our results show a mean increase in speed of 23.8 % between 1994 and 2018, with three glaciers accelerating by over 44 %. Speedup across the Getz basin is linear, with speedup and thinning directly correlated confirming the presence of dynamic imbalance. Since 1994, 315 Gt of ice has been lost contributing 0.9 ± 0.6 mm global mean sea level, with increased loss since 2010 caused by a snowfall reduction. Overall, dynamic imbalance accounts for two thirds of the mass loss from this region of West Antarctica over the past 25-years, with a longer-term response to ocean forcing the likely driving mechanism.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21321-1

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