Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

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Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet. / Fitzpatrick, Andrew A. W.; Hubbard, Alun; Joughin, Ian; Quincey, Duncan J.; Van As, Dirk; Mikkelsen, Andreas Peter Bech; Doyle, Samuel H.; Hasholt, Bent; Jones, Glenn A.

In: Journal of Glaciology, Vol. 59, No. 216, 2013, p. 687-696.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review

Harvard

Fitzpatrick, AAW, Hubbard, A, Joughin, I, Quincey, DJ, Van As, D, Mikkelsen, APB, Doyle, SH, Hasholt, B & Jones, GA 2013, 'Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet', Journal of Glaciology, vol. 59, no. 216, pp. 687-696. https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J143

APA

Fitzpatrick, A. A. W., Hubbard, A., Joughin, I., Quincey, D. J., Van As, D., Mikkelsen, A. P. B., Doyle, S. H., Hasholt, B., & Jones, G. A. (2013). Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet. Journal of Glaciology, 59(216), 687-696. https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J143

Vancouver

Fitzpatrick AAW, Hubbard A, Joughin I, Quincey DJ, Van As D, Mikkelsen APB et al. Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet. Journal of Glaciology. 2013;59(216):687-696. https://doi.org/10.3189/2013JoG12J143

Author

Fitzpatrick, Andrew A. W. ; Hubbard, Alun ; Joughin, Ian ; Quincey, Duncan J. ; Van As, Dirk ; Mikkelsen, Andreas Peter Bech ; Doyle, Samuel H. ; Hasholt, Bent ; Jones, Glenn A. / Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet. In: Journal of Glaciology. 2013 ; Vol. 59, No. 216. pp. 687-696.

Bibtex

@article{cb521805a3d849a5addeab743e9ac86e,
title = "Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet",
abstract = "We present satellite-derived velocity patterns for the two contrasting melt seasons of 2009-10 across Russell Glacier catchment, a western, land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet which encompasses the K(angerlussuaq)-transect. Results highlight great spatial heterogeneity in flow, indicating that structural controls such as bedrock geometry govern ice discharge into individual outlet troughs. Results also reveal strong seasonal flow variability extending 57 km up-glacier to 1200 m elevation, with the largest acceleration (100% over 11 days) occurring within 10 km of the margin coincident with spring melt. By late July 2010, 2 weeks before peak melt and runoff, 48% of the 2400 km(2) catchment had slowed to less than the winter mean. This observation supports the hypothesis that the subglacial hydrological system evolves from an inefficient distributed to an efficient drainage system, regulating flow dynamics. Despite this, the cumulative surface flux over the record melt year of 2010 was still greater compared with the perturbation over the average melt year of 2009. This study supports the proposition that local surface meltwater runoff couples to basal hydrology driving ice-sheet dynamics, and although the effect is nonlinear, our observations indicate that greater meltwater runoff yields increased net flux over this sector of the ice sheet.",
author = "Fitzpatrick, {Andrew A. W.} and Alun Hubbard and Ian Joughin and Quincey, {Duncan J.} and {Van As}, Dirk and Mikkelsen, {Andreas Peter Bech} and Doyle, {Samuel H.} and Bent Hasholt and Jones, {Glenn A.}",
year = "2013",
doi = "10.3189/2013JoG12J143",
language = "English",
volume = "59",
pages = "687--696",
journal = "Journal of Glaciology",
issn = "0022-1430",
publisher = "International Glaciological Society",
number = "216",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Ice flow dynamics and surface meltwater flux at a land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet

AU - Fitzpatrick, Andrew A. W.

AU - Hubbard, Alun

AU - Joughin, Ian

AU - Quincey, Duncan J.

AU - Van As, Dirk

AU - Mikkelsen, Andreas Peter Bech

AU - Doyle, Samuel H.

AU - Hasholt, Bent

AU - Jones, Glenn A.

PY - 2013

Y1 - 2013

N2 - We present satellite-derived velocity patterns for the two contrasting melt seasons of 2009-10 across Russell Glacier catchment, a western, land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet which encompasses the K(angerlussuaq)-transect. Results highlight great spatial heterogeneity in flow, indicating that structural controls such as bedrock geometry govern ice discharge into individual outlet troughs. Results also reveal strong seasonal flow variability extending 57 km up-glacier to 1200 m elevation, with the largest acceleration (100% over 11 days) occurring within 10 km of the margin coincident with spring melt. By late July 2010, 2 weeks before peak melt and runoff, 48% of the 2400 km(2) catchment had slowed to less than the winter mean. This observation supports the hypothesis that the subglacial hydrological system evolves from an inefficient distributed to an efficient drainage system, regulating flow dynamics. Despite this, the cumulative surface flux over the record melt year of 2010 was still greater compared with the perturbation over the average melt year of 2009. This study supports the proposition that local surface meltwater runoff couples to basal hydrology driving ice-sheet dynamics, and although the effect is nonlinear, our observations indicate that greater meltwater runoff yields increased net flux over this sector of the ice sheet.

AB - We present satellite-derived velocity patterns for the two contrasting melt seasons of 2009-10 across Russell Glacier catchment, a western, land-terminating sector of the Greenland ice sheet which encompasses the K(angerlussuaq)-transect. Results highlight great spatial heterogeneity in flow, indicating that structural controls such as bedrock geometry govern ice discharge into individual outlet troughs. Results also reveal strong seasonal flow variability extending 57 km up-glacier to 1200 m elevation, with the largest acceleration (100% over 11 days) occurring within 10 km of the margin coincident with spring melt. By late July 2010, 2 weeks before peak melt and runoff, 48% of the 2400 km(2) catchment had slowed to less than the winter mean. This observation supports the hypothesis that the subglacial hydrological system evolves from an inefficient distributed to an efficient drainage system, regulating flow dynamics. Despite this, the cumulative surface flux over the record melt year of 2010 was still greater compared with the perturbation over the average melt year of 2009. This study supports the proposition that local surface meltwater runoff couples to basal hydrology driving ice-sheet dynamics, and although the effect is nonlinear, our observations indicate that greater meltwater runoff yields increased net flux over this sector of the ice sheet.

U2 - 10.3189/2013JoG12J143

DO - 10.3189/2013JoG12J143

M3 - Journal article

VL - 59

SP - 687

EP - 696

JO - Journal of Glaciology

JF - Journal of Glaciology

SN - 0022-1430

IS - 216

ER -

ID: 118892251