State and fate of Antarctica’s gatekeepers: ice shelf instability from a remote sensing and modelling perspective

Abstract: Mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet is the largest uncertainty in current sea level rise projections and this uncertainty is largely related to the response of ice shelves. Ice shelves are the gatekeepers of Antarctica as they buttress the contribution of grounded ice to sea level rise. Although several processes have been identified that are key for future ice shelf instability and retreat, assessing how much, how fast ice shelf instability will contribute to future sea level rise remains a major uncertainty as many of the processes (e.g. hydrofracturing, basal melting, damage feedbacks) are not well understood or quantified. In this presentation, Stef Lhermitte will discuss the role of satellite remote sensing and modelling in assessing these processes by showing examples of Pine Island Glacier and Thwaites Glacier in the Amundsen Sea Embayment and other outlet glaciers in Antarctica with large consequences for global sea level.

atmospheric sciencescryosphere sciencesocean sciencesatmospheric and oceanic physics

Audience: researchers in the topic

BAS Ice Dynamics and Paleoclimate Seminars