Fortnightly variations in the flow velocity of Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica

G. Hilmar Gudmundsson

doi:10.1038/nature05430

Fortnightly variations in the flow velocity of Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica

G. Hilmar Gudmundsson

Geography and Environmental Sciences Department

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

92 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Most of the ice lost from the Antarctic ice sheet passes through a few fast-flowing and highly dynamic ice streams. Quantifying temporal variations in flow in these ice streams, and understanding their causes, is a prerequisite for estimating the potential contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to global sea-level change. Here I show that surface velocities on a major West Antarctic Ice Stream, Rutford Ice Stream, vary periodically by about 20 per cent every two weeks as a result of tidal forcing. Tidally induced motion on ice streams has previously been thought to be limited to diurnal or even shorter-term variations. The existence of strong fortnightly variations in flow demonstrates the potential pitfalls of using repeated velocity measurements over intervals of days to infer long-term change.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1063-1064
Number of pages	2
Journal	Nature
Volume	444
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05430 https://doi.org/10.1038/nature05430
Publication status	Published - 21 Dec 2006

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abstract = "Most of the ice lost from the Antarctic ice sheet passes through a few fast-flowing and highly dynamic ice streams. Quantifying temporal variations in flow in these ice streams, and understanding their causes, is a prerequisite for estimating the potential contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to global sea-level change. Here I show that surface velocities on a major West Antarctic Ice Stream, Rutford Ice Stream, vary periodically by about 20 per cent every two weeks as a result of tidal forcing. Tidally induced motion on ice streams has previously been thought to be limited to diurnal or even shorter-term variations. The existence of strong fortnightly variations in flow demonstrates the potential pitfalls of using repeated velocity measurements over intervals of days to infer long-term change.",

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N2 - Most of the ice lost from the Antarctic ice sheet passes through a few fast-flowing and highly dynamic ice streams. Quantifying temporal variations in flow in these ice streams, and understanding their causes, is a prerequisite for estimating the potential contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to global sea-level change. Here I show that surface velocities on a major West Antarctic Ice Stream, Rutford Ice Stream, vary periodically by about 20 per cent every two weeks as a result of tidal forcing. Tidally induced motion on ice streams has previously been thought to be limited to diurnal or even shorter-term variations. The existence of strong fortnightly variations in flow demonstrates the potential pitfalls of using repeated velocity measurements over intervals of days to infer long-term change.

AB - Most of the ice lost from the Antarctic ice sheet passes through a few fast-flowing and highly dynamic ice streams. Quantifying temporal variations in flow in these ice streams, and understanding their causes, is a prerequisite for estimating the potential contribution of the Antarctic ice sheet to global sea-level change. Here I show that surface velocities on a major West Antarctic Ice Stream, Rutford Ice Stream, vary periodically by about 20 per cent every two weeks as a result of tidal forcing. Tidally induced motion on ice streams has previously been thought to be limited to diurnal or even shorter-term variations. The existence of strong fortnightly variations in flow demonstrates the potential pitfalls of using repeated velocity measurements over intervals of days to infer long-term change.

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ER -

Fortnightly variations in the flow velocity of Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica

Abstract

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