Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

Andrew Hein; Shasta Marrero; John Woodward; Stuart Dunning; Kate Winter; Matt Westoby; Stewart Freeman; Richard Shanks; David Sugden

doi:10.1038/ncomms12511

Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

Andrew Hein, Shasta Marrero, John Woodward, Stuart Dunning, Kate Winter, Matt Westoby, Stewart Freeman, Richard Shanks, David Sugden

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

40 Citations (Scopus)

42 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Establishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ~400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	12511
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12511
Publication status	Published - 22 Aug 2016

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1038/ncomms12511Licence: CC BY

NatCommsHoloceneProofsAccepted author manuscript, 1.79 MB
Ncomms12511Final published version, 1.4 MBLicence: CC BY

http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/27602/

Cite this

@article{ed29602997084168b3eb720240c1e22f,

title = "Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet",

abstract = "Establishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ~400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.",

author = "Andrew Hein and Shasta Marrero and John Woodward and Stuart Dunning and Kate Winter and Matt Westoby and Stewart Freeman and Richard Shanks and David Sugden",

year = "2016",

month = aug,

day = "22",

doi = "10.1038/ncomms12511",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

pages = "12511",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Publishing Group",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

AU - Hein, Andrew

AU - Marrero, Shasta

AU - Woodward, John

AU - Dunning, Stuart

AU - Winter, Kate

AU - Westoby, Matt

AU - Freeman, Stewart

AU - Shanks, Richard

AU - Sugden, David

PY - 2016/8/22

Y1 - 2016/8/22

N2 - Establishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ~400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

AB - Establishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ~400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms12511

DO - 10.1038/ncomms12511

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

SP - 12511

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

ER -

Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

Abstract

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Cite this