Winter seal-based observations reveal glacial meltwater surfacing in the southeastern Amundsen Sea

Determining the injection of glacial meltwater into polar oceans is crucial for quantifying the climate system response to ice sheet mass loss. This study presents winter meltwater distribution near Pine Island Glacier using data collected by tagged seals, revealing a highly variable meltwater distribution with two meltwater-rich layers and scattered meltwater-rich columns. The hydrographic signature of meltwater is clearest in winter, when its presence can be unambiguously mapped. The buoyant meltwater provides near-surface heat that helps maintain polynyas close to ice shelves, demonstrating the importance of representing these small-scale processes in Earth system models.

Yixi Zheng, Karen J. Heywood, Benjamin G. M. Webber, David P. Stevens, Louise C. Biddle, Lars Boehme, Brice Loose