Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics
Recent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the...
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doaj-e6388bfb712f416ba6b454d803cfb3f12020-11-24T22:33:50ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe Cryosphere1994-04161994-04242016-09-01102317232810.5194/tc-10-2317-2016Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamicsS. J. Phipps0S. J. Phipps1C. J. Fogwill2C. J. Fogwill3C. S. M. Turney4Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaInstitute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS 7001, AustraliaClimate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaPANGEA Research Centre, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaClimate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNSW Australia, Sydney, NSW 2052, AustraliaRecent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the Wilkes Basin, one of the major marine-based sectors of the EAIS, on Southern Ocean dynamics. Climate model simulations reveal that the meltwater flux rapidly stratifies surface waters, leading to a dramatic decrease in the rate of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation. The surface ocean cools but, critically, the Southern Ocean warms by more than 1 °C at depth. This warming is accompanied by a Southern Ocean-wide “domino effect”, whereby the warming signal propagates westward with depth. Our results suggest that melting of one sector of the EAIS could result in accelerated warming across other sectors, including the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Thus, localised melting of the EAIS could potentially destabilise the wider Antarctic Ice Sheet.https://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/2317/2016/tc-10-2317-2016.pdf |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
S. J. Phipps S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney |
spellingShingle |
S. J. Phipps S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics The Cryosphere |
author_facet |
S. J. Phipps S. J. Phipps C. J. Fogwill C. J. Fogwill C. S. M. Turney |
author_sort |
S. J. Phipps |
title |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_short |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_full |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_fullStr |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_full_unstemmed |
Impacts of marine instability across the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet on Southern Ocean dynamics |
title_sort |
impacts of marine instability across the east antarctic ice
sheet on southern ocean dynamics |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
series |
The Cryosphere |
issn |
1994-0416 1994-0424 |
publishDate |
2016-09-01 |
description |
Recent observations and modelling studies have demonstrated the potential for
rapid and substantial retreat of large sectors of the East Antarctic Ice
Sheet (EAIS). This has major implications for ocean circulation and global
sea level. Here we examine the effects of increasing meltwater from the
Wilkes Basin, one of the major marine-based sectors of the EAIS, on Southern
Ocean dynamics. Climate model simulations reveal that the meltwater flux
rapidly stratifies surface waters, leading to a dramatic decrease in the rate
of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) formation. The surface ocean cools but,
critically, the Southern Ocean warms by more than 1 °C at
depth. This warming is accompanied by a Southern Ocean-wide “domino
effect”, whereby the warming signal propagates westward with depth. Our
results suggest that melting of one sector of the EAIS could result in
accelerated warming across other sectors, including the Weddell Sea sector of
the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Thus, localised melting of the EAIS could
potentially destabilise the wider Antarctic Ice Sheet. |
url |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/10/2317/2016/tc-10-2317-2016.pdf |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT sjphipps impactsofmarineinstabilityacrosstheeastantarcticicesheetonsouthernoceandynamics AT sjphipps impactsofmarineinstabilityacrosstheeastantarcticicesheetonsouthernoceandynamics AT cjfogwill impactsofmarineinstabilityacrosstheeastantarcticicesheetonsouthernoceandynamics AT cjfogwill impactsofmarineinstabilityacrosstheeastantarcticicesheetonsouthernoceandynamics AT csmturney impactsofmarineinstabilityacrosstheeastantarcticicesheetonsouthernoceandynamics |
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