Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
V. Verjans, A. A. Leeson, M. McMillan, C. M. Stevens, J. M. van Wessem, W. J. van de Berg, M. R. van den Broeke, C. Kittel, C. Amory, X. Fettweis, N. Hansen, F. Boberg, R. Mottram
Summary: Recent study indicates that mass balance assessments of the East Antarctic ice sheet are sensitive to changes in firn thickness, with large uncertainties. Climate forcing is identified as the most significant factor influencing uncertainty. Ensemble modeling and statistical emulation are effective methods to better constrain mass balance estimates.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Tyler Pelle, Mathieu Morlighem, Yoshihiro Nakayama, Helene Seroussi
Summary: The future evolution of Totten Glacier is influenced by ocean-driven warm water inflow, with increased ice loss rates expected under high emission scenarios.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Joshua J. Williams, Noel Gourmelen, Peter Nienow, Charlie Bunce, Donald Slater
Summary: Helheim Glacier has been thinning and retreating in recent years, with the near-terminus region approaching the floating threshold, and neighboring Fenris and Midgard Glaciers have also experienced large-scale and rapid retreat.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Sarah U. Neuhaus, Slawek M. Tulaczyk, Nathan D. Stansell, Jason J. Coenen, Reed P. Scherer, Jill A. Mikucki, Ross D. Powell
Summary: Understanding past ice sheet configurations is important for predicting future ice sheet dynamics and calibrating models. In the Ross Sea sector of Antarctica, recent research suggests that the grounding line of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreated and readvanced in response to changes in climate, contrary to previous hypotheses that attributed the motion to ice sheet dynamics and glacioisostatic rebound.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael E. Weber, Ian Bailey, Sidney R. Hemming, Yasmina M. Martos, Brendan T. Reilly, Thomas A. Ronge, Stefanie Brachfeld, Trevor Williams, Maureen Raymo, Simon T. Belt, Lukas Smik, Hendrik Vogel, Victoria L. Peck, Linda Armbrecht, Alix Cage, Fabricio G. Cardillo, Zhiheng Du, Gerson Fauth, Christopher J. Fogwill, Marga Garcia, Marlo Garnsworthy, Anna Glueder, Michelle Guitard, Marcus Gutjahr, Ivan Hernandez-Almeida, Frida S. Hoem, Ji-Hwan Hwang, Mutsumi Iizuka, Yuji Kato, Bridget Kenlee, Suzanne OConnell, Lara F. Perez, Osamu Seki, Lee Stevens, Lisa Tauxe, Shubham Tripathi, Jonathan Warnock, Xufeng Zheng
Summary: The field of Southern Ocean paleoceanography is vital for understanding the development of iron fertilization and oceanic productivity during Pleistocene ice-ages and their impact on the carbon cycle. A high-resolution record of dust deposition and ocean productivity in the Antarctic Zone has revealed significant changes over the past 1.5 million years, with increased dust deposition during glacials and higher biogenic silica deposition during interglacials. The study also suggests more severe glaciations and changes in ocean productivity over the past 0.9 million years.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philip J. Bart, Matthew Kratochvil
Summary: Geological records of ice sheet collapse provide insights into the retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The study reconstructs the retreat process in the eastern Ross Sea continental shelf and the Whales Deep Basin, and estimates the duration and rate of retreat.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Constantijn J. Berends, Lennert B. Stap, Roderik S. W. van de Wal
Summary: Future sea-level rise projections in West Antarctica are heavily influenced by mass loss in marine-grounded sectors, where warming oceans thin the shelves and reduce buttressing, leading to increased ice flow from upstream. The relationship between warming oceans and sub-shelf melt rates is uncertain, particularly when considering interactions with changing shelf geometry. This study compares six widely used parameterised formulations for sub-shelf melt and finds that the choice of parameterisation and numerical scheme has a greater impact on ice-sheet evolution than ice dynamics processes or forcing scenario uncertainties.
JOURNAL OF GLACIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Yuzhen Yan, Andrei V. V. Kurbatov, Paul A. A. Mayewski, Sarah Shackleton, John A. A. Higgins
Summary: This study investigates the differences in the correlation between temperature and summer insolation in the Early Pleistocene and the late Pleistocene in Antarctica. The results suggest a more dynamic East Antarctic Ice Sheet in the Early Pleistocene.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Michael Wood, Eric Rignot, Ian Fenty, Lu An, Anders Bjork, Michiel van den Broeke, Cilan Cai, Emily Kane, Dimitris Menemenlis, Romain Millan, Mathieu Morlighem, Jeremie Mouginot, Brice Noel, Bernd Scheuchl, Isabella Velicogna, Josh K. Willis, Hong Zhang
Summary: Research shows that the intrusion of warm Atlantic Waters has significantly influenced the retreat of 226 marine-terminating glaciers in Greenland, particularly those located in deep fjords. Excluding ocean-induced undercutting in ice sheet projections may underestimate mass loss by at least a factor of 2.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ian Bailey, Sidney Hemming, Brendan T. Reilly, Gavyn Rollinson, Trevor Williams, Michael E. Weber, Maureen E. Raymo, Victoria L. Peck, Thomas A. Ronge, Stefanie Brachfeld, Suzanne O'Connell, Lisa Tauxe, Jonathan P. Warnock, Linda Armbrecht, Fabricio G. Cardillo, Zhiheng Du, Gerson Fauth, Marga Garcia, Anna Glueder, Michelle Guitard, Marcus Gutjahr, Ivan Hernandez-Almeida, Frida S. Hoem, Ji-Hwan Hwang, Mutsumi Iizuka, Yuji Kato, Bridget Kenlee, Yasmina M. Martos, Lara F. Perez, Osamu Seki, Shubham Tripathi, Xufeng Zheng
Summary: Ice loss in West Antarctica has been the most severe in the past 30 years. Geologists have examined marine sedimentary records to find evidence of past episodes of instability in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Sediments in the Scotia Sea receive debris from West Antarctica and can provide valuable information. Analysis of sediment layers from this sea confirms their ice-rafted origin and suggests they were deposited during a warm period. The provenance of the debris indicates that it likely came from the Weddell Sea and/or Amundsen Sea, and their high concentrations in these layers can be attributed to dirty icebergs calved from the retreating ice sheet.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Daniel N. Goldberg, Andrew G. Twelves, Paul R. Holland, Martin G. Wearing
Summary: Little is known about Antarctic subglacial hydrology, but it is believed that subglacial runoff enhances submarine melt locally through buoyancy effects. This study examines the effects of runoff on sea ice and oceanography on the Continental Shelf, and finds that runoff enhances localized melt and reduces summer sea ice volume. Runoff-driven melt and circulation may be an important missing process in regional Antarctic ocean models.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. R. A. Aitken, L. Li, B. Kulessa, D. Schroeder, T. A. Jordan, J. M. Whittaker, S. Anandakrishnan, E. J. Dawson, D. A. Wiens, O. Eisen, M. J. Siegert
Summary: Understanding Antarctica's sedimentary basins is crucial for studying the evolution of tectonics, ice, ocean, and climate. However, limited knowledge is due to the remote location, harsh environment, and the challenges posed by ice and sea ice. Recent progress in data collection and interpretation techniques has allowed for mapping and characterization of these basins, which play a crucial role in ice-sheet dynamics and future change.
REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Eelco J. Rohling, Jimin Yu, David Heslop, Gavin L. Foster, Bradley Opdyke, Andrew P. Roberts
Summary: Sea level and deep-sea temperature variations are crucial indicators of global climate changes. Recent studies have shown distinct nonlinearity between sea level and delta(w) changes over the past 40 million years, indicating complex dynamical behavior in Earth's climate system.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Evan J. Gowan, Xu Zhang, Sara Khosravi, Alessio Rovere, Paolo Stocchi, Anna L. C. Hughes, Richard Gyllencreutz, Jan Mangerud, John-Inge Svendsen, Gerrit Lohmann
Summary: The uncertainty of past global ice sheet evolution, especially the issue of missing ice volume during the Last Glacial Maximum, has been a challenge. Researchers have developed a global ice sheet reconstruction for the past 80,000 years, resolving the missing ice problem during the Last Glacial Maximum. However, discrepancies with proxy-based sea level reconstructions before the Last Glacial Maximum highlight the complexity of the relationship between marine delta O-18 and sea level changes.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Cameron Book, Matthew J. Hoffman, Samuel B. Kachuck, Trevor R. Hillebrand, Stephen F. Price, Mauro Perego, Jeremy N. Bassis
Summary: The viscoelastic rebound of the solid Earth can inhibit marine ice sheet instability and delay ice sheet retreat and global sea-level rise. The rheological structure of the solid Earth has a significant impact on the model projections of Thwaites Glacier retreat and sea-level rise. Water expulsion from the rebounding solid Earth can contribute to increased sea-level rise. The feedback between the solid Earth and ice sheet system is controlled by the competition between bedrock uplift and ice retreat.
EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCE LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Melinda Quock, Amanda H. Schmidt, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Alan J. Hidy, Marc Caffee
Summary: This study measured erosion rates on Dominica before and after extreme storms and found spatial variations in the effects of storms on erosion.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
A. Hughes, D. H. Rood, D. E. DeVecchio, A. C. Whittaker, R. E. Bell, K. M. Wilcken, L. B. Corbett, P. R. Bierman, B. J. Swanson, T. K. Rockwell
Summary: This study quantifies the complex interplay between tectonic uplift, topographic development, and erosion in the Ventura basin, southern California, USA. The results provide insights into the rates of tectonic uplift and erosion and their implications for topographic evolution. The study also explores the relationship between erosion rates and tectonic rates in rapidly uplifting mountain belts.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geology
Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Mark Brenner, Jeffery R. Stone, Marta Wojewodka-Przybyl, Thorsten Bauersachs, Andreas Eckert, Marek Locmelis, Jason H. Curtis, Susan R. H. Zimmerman, Alex Correa-Metrio, Lorenz Schwark, Edward Duarte, Antje Schwalb, Etienne Niewerth, Paula Gabriela Echeverria-Galindo, Liseth Perez
Summary: This study analyzed sediment cores from Lake Izabal in Guatemala to understand biogeochemical changes over the Holocene period. The researchers found evidence of marine flooding in the lake around 8370 years ago, suggesting a connection with the drainage of high-latitude lakes in North America. The study also revealed a larger sea-level rise than previously estimated during the 8.2 ka event, indicating a possible underestimation of water discharge or additional meltwater sources contributing to global sea-level rise at that time.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
J. Del Vecchio, R. A. DiBiase, L. B. Corbett, P. R. Bierman, M. W. Caffee, S. J. Ivory
Summary: This study shows that periglacial episodes during the Mid-Pleistocene Transition increased erosion rates in central Appalachia, highlighting the higher efficiency of periglacial erosion processes compared to temperate erosion processes.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Steven Semken, Joseph A. Whittaker
Summary: The community laboratory model can effectively enhance undergraduate and graduate students' access to geochemical techniques, but challenges persist in fostering a diverse geoscience community.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Thomas A. Brown, Marc W. Caffee, David Fink, Stewart P. H. T. Freeman, Alan J. Hidy, Dylan H. Rood, Klaus M. Wilcken, Thomas E. Woodruff
Summary: Reference materials are crucial for assessing variability and quality in laboratory measurements. This study analyzed data from repeated processing of the CRONUS-N reference material and found reproducibility in the measurements of 10Be and 26Al, as well as the significant impact of non-quartz minerals on the results.
QUATERNARY GEOCHRONOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Christopher T. Halsted, Paul R. Bierman, Jeremy D. Shakun, P. Thompson Davis, Lee B. Corbett, Marc W. Caffee, Taylor S. Hodgdon, Joseph M. Licciardi
Summary: Accurate reconstruction of the Laurentide Ice Sheet's volume changes during the last deglaciation is crucial for understanding its contribution to sea-level rise, the impact of meltwater on oceanic circulation, and the patterns of deglaciation. By measuring in situ cosmogenic 10Be in 81 samples collected along vertical transects of nine mountains in the northeastern United States, we provide empirical evidence of ice sheet thinning. Our findings show significant thinning of the ice sheet between 19.5 ka and 17.5 ka near the terminal moraine, while vertical transects further north exhibit different patterns, indicating the presence of a subglacial thermal boundary. These results suggest that the southeastern Laurentide Ice Sheet was highly sensitive to a warming climate.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Liesa Brosens, Ronadh Cox, Benjamin Campforts, Liesbet Jacobs, Veerle Vanacker, Paul Bierman, Vao Fenotiana Razanamahandry, Amos Fety Michel Rakotondrazafy, Tantely Razafimbelo, Tovonarivo Rafolisy, Gerard Govers
Summary: Cosmogenic nuclide analysis of river sediment in Madagascar reveals low and spatially variable Be-10-inferred erosion rates, with elevation as the main controlling factor. River concavity, seismic events, and gully densities also contribute to regional differences in erosion rates. These findings highlight the limitations of simple topography-based models and emphasize the importance of considering different regions and environmental controls in interpreting erosion rates inferred from Be-10 concentrations.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2023)
Article
Geology
Danielle E. LeBlanc, Jeremy D. Shakun, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Marc W. Caffee, Alan J. Hidy
Summary: The study suggests that the Laurentide Ice Sheet was more persistent during Quaternary interglacials than previously thought. Evidence from marine core sediment indicates that the source areas of sediment experienced only brief and/or infrequent ice-free interglacials over the past million years. The complete deglaciation of the Laurentide Ice Sheet may have only occurred under specific climatic conditions comparable to those of the early Holocene, making our current interglacial period unusual compared to previous ones in the mid-to-late Pleistocene.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrew J. Christ, Tammy M. Rittenour, Paul R. Bierman, Benjamin A. Keisling, Paul C. Knutz, Tonny B. Thomsen, Nynke Keulen, Julie C. Fosdick, Sidney R. Hemming, Jean-Louis Tison, Pierre-Henri Blard, Jrgen P. Steffensen, Marc W. Caffee, Lee B. Corbett, Dorthe Dahl-Jensen, David P. Dethier, Alan J. Hidy, Nicolas Perdrial, Dorothy M. Peteet, Eric J. Steig, Elizabeth K. Thomas
Summary: Researchers have found evidence from subglacial sediment in the Camp Century ice core that northwestern Greenland was ice-free during the MIS 11 interglacial period, with at least 1.4 meters sea level equivalent contribution from the Greenland Ice Sheet. The sediment was deposited by flowing water in an ice-free environment 416 +/- 38 thousand years ago, after reworking from local materials exposed at the surface <16 thousand years before deposition.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Jason S. Drebber, Christopher T. Halsted, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Marc W. Caffee
Summary: Constraining the timing and rate of Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) retreat in the northeastern US is crucial for understanding the co-evolution of climatic and glaciologic events during the end of the Pleistocene epoch. Using new in situ cosmogenic Be-10 exposure ages, the study provides insights into the timings of LIS retreat in central New England, suggesting that ice retreated from Connecticut around 18.3 ka and from Massachusetts around 15.2 ka. The study also highlights the discrepancy between radiocarbon and cosmogenic age chronologies in this region.
Correction
Geography, Physical
M. Quock, A. H. Schmidt, L. B. Corbett, P. R. Bierman, A. J. Hidy, M. Caffee
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Adrian M. Bender, Richard O. Lease, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Marc W. Caffee, James Jones, Doug Kreiner
Summary: River erosion plays a significant role in the carbon cycle and climate by exporting carbon to seafloor sediment and supporting CO2-consuming marine life. The Yukon River-Bering Sea system provides valuable records of these processes over the past 5 million years. This study expands the understanding of terrestrial erosion by dating terraces along the Charley River and examining connections with the Yukon River tributary incision and Bering Sea sedimentation. The results show a correlation between the ages of terraces and the incision of the Yukon River tributaries, indicating the influence of climate-driven river erosion. The increase in terrigenous nutrient and carbon export, along with the enhanced productivity in the Bering Sea, suggests the role of accelerated terrestrial erosion in carbon burial and CO2 drawdown during major climate transitions.
EARTH SURFACE DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Marie Bergelin, Jaakko Putkonen, Greg Balco, Daniel Morgan, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman
Summary: This study collected a debris-rich ice core from Ong Valley in Antarctica and measured the concentration of cosmogenic nuclides to determine the age of the ice mass and understand the processes behind the overlaying debris. The results suggest that the ice mass is older than 1.1 million years, with the upper section of the ice core being 2.95 million years old. The variation in cosmogenic nuclide concentrations indicates that the englacial debris is sourced from both subglacial material and recycled paleo-surface debris.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Nicolas E. Young, Alia J. Lesnek, Josh K. Cuzzone, Jason P. Briner, Jessica A. Badgeley, Alexandra Balter-Kennedy, Brandon L. Graham, Allison Cluett, Jennifer L. Lamp, Roseanne Schwartz, Thibaut Tuna, Edouard Bard, Marc W. Caffee, Susan R. H. Zimmerman, Joerg M. Schaefer
Summary: Recent research using new technology has revealed the evolution history of the Greenland Ice Sheet, showing that the ice sheet margin withdrew further inland after stabilizing near the modern margin for several thousand years, with the minimum extent of the ice sheet likely occurring around 5,000 years ago and approaching its historical maximum extent around 2,000 years ago. Model simulations suggest that the inland retreat of the ice margin driven by early to middle Holocene warmth may have been mitigated by increased precipitation. Triple Be-10-C-14-Al-26 measurements provide a valuable tool for understanding the duration of smaller-than-present ice over multiple timescales.
CLIMATE OF THE PAST
(2021)