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Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades

Earth Sciences

Ice acceleration and rotation in the Greenland Ice Sheet interior in recent decades

A. Løkkegaard, W. Colgan, et al.

Recent research by Anja Løkkegaard, William Colgan, Karina Hansen, Kisser Thorsøe, Jakob Jakobsen, and Shfaqat Abbas Khan has unveiled significant changes in the Greenland ice sheet, highlighting a 5–15% increase in ice velocities and intriguing shifts in flow azimuth. This study brings to light the emergence of large transverse crevasses, indicating a captivating transformation in ice dynamics. Creep instability, linked to warmer conditions, may be driving this remarkable acceleration and rotation.

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Playback language: English
Abstract
Mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet has accelerated in the past two decades, partly due to glacier speedup. This study used in-situ measurements at 11 historical locations in West Greenland to detect inland changes, revealing a 5–15% increase in ice velocities and a 3–4.5° northward deflection in flow azimuth. The appearance of large transverse crevasses suggests a fundamental shift in local ice dynamics. Creep instability, a coincident warming and softening of near-bed ice layers, is proposed as a potential explanation for the observed acceleration and rotation.
Publisher
Communications Earth & Environment
Published On
Apr 24, 2024
Authors
Anja Løkkegaard, William Colgan, Karina Hansen, Kisser Thorsøe, Jakob Jakobsen, Shfaqat Abbas Khan
Tags
Greenland ice sheet
mass loss
glacier speedup
ice dynamics
creep instability
flow azimuth
transverse crevasses

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