TY - JOUR
T1 - Fortnightly variations in the flow velocity of Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica
AU - Gudmundsson, G. Hilmar
PY - 2006/12/21
Y1 - 2006/12/21
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.
UR - https://www.nature.com/articles/nature05430
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/33845873854
U2 - 10.1038/nature05430
DO - 10.1038/nature05430
M3 - Letter
SN - 1476-4687
VL - 444
SP - 1063
EP - 1064
JO - Nature
JF - Nature
ER -