Early aerial expedition photos reveal 85 years of glacier growth and stability in East Antarctica

Mads Dømgaard (), Anders Schomacker, Elisabeth Isaksson, Romain Millan, Flora Huiban, Amaury Dehecq, Amanda Fleischer, Geir Moholdt, Jonas K. Andersen and Anders A. Bjørk
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Mads Dømgaard: University of Copenhagen
Anders Schomacker: UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Elisabeth Isaksson: Norwegian Polar Institute
Romain Millan: IGE
Flora Huiban: University of Copenhagen
Amaury Dehecq: IGE
Amanda Fleischer: University of Copenhagen
Geir Moholdt: Norwegian Polar Institute
Jonas K. Andersen: University of Copenhagen
Anders A. Bjørk: University of Copenhagen

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract During the last few decades, several sectors in Antarctica have transitioned from glacial mass balance equilibrium to mass loss. In order to determine if recent trends exceed the scale of natural variability, long-term observations are vital. Here we explore the earliest, large-scale, aerial image archive of Antarctica to provide a unique record of 21 outlet glaciers along the coastline of East Antarctica since the 1930s. In Lützow-Holm Bay, our results reveal constant ice surface elevations since the 1930s, and indications of a weakening of local land-fast sea-ice conditions. Along the coastline of Kemp and Mac Robertson, and Ingrid Christensen Coast, we observe a long-term moderate thickening of the glaciers since 1937 and 1960 with periodic thinning and decadal variability. In all regions, the long-term changes in ice thickness correspond with the trends in snowfall since 1940. Our results demonstrate that the stability and growth in ice elevations observed in terrestrial basins over the past few decades are part of a trend spanning at least a century, and highlight the importance of understanding long-term changes when interpreting current dynamics.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48886-x

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