Article
Environmental Sciences
Youngmin Choi, Mathieu Morlighem, Eric Rignot, Michael Wood
Summary: The mass loss of the Greenland Ice Sheet is mainly attributed to surface melt and ice dynamics changes, with marine-terminating glaciers projected to contribute significantly more mass loss in the future. Numerical models show that proper calibration and representation of ice-ocean interactions are crucial for accurate predictions.
COMMUNICATIONS EARTH & ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Enze Zhang, Lin Liu, Lingcao Huang, Ka Shing Ng
Summary: Over the past two decades, the data volume of remote sensing imagery in polar regions has significantly increased. Researchers have developed a generalized deep learning method that can automatically identify glaciological features like calving fronts, showing a high generalization ability on various glaciers and data types.
REMOTE SENSING OF ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Denis Felikson, Ginny A. Catania, Timothy C. Bartholomaus, Mathieu Morlighem, Brice P. Y. Noel
Summary: This study identifies knickpoints as the main factors limiting the diffusion of thinning of outlet glaciers, typically found in regions with steep bedrock topography. In contrast, in regions with gentle topography, these knickpoints may not exist or have a less steep slope, allowing thinning to spread far into the ice sheet interior.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shfaqat A. Khan, Youngmin Choi, Mathieu Morlighem, Eric Rignot, Veit Helm, Angelika Humbert, Jeremie Mouginot, Romain Millan, Kurt H. Kjaer, Anders A. Bjork
Summary: Over the past two decades, ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet has increased, especially from the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream. This study shows that rapid retreat in this area will contribute to sea-level rise and cause significant changes in the coming century.
Article
Geography, Physical
Adrien Wehrle, Martin P. Luthi, Andreas Vieli
Summary: Ice melange, a dense mixture of icebergs and sea ice in Greenland's fjords, has been shown to significantly affect the dynamics of Greenland tidewater glaciers. However, the dynamics of ice melange in the shorter term are still not well understood due to its complexity and variability at the ice-ocean boundary.
Article
Geography, Physical
Karita Kajanto, Fiammetta Straneo, Kerim Nisancioglu
Summary: The role of icebergs in narrow fjords hosting marine-terminating glaciers in Greenland is not well understood. This study uses a model to investigate the impact of submarine iceberg melt on fjord water properties. The results show that iceberg melt modifies the fjord by cooling and freshening the water column, changing the fjord stratification, and driving mixing of glacially modified waters. These modifications suppress glacier melting in the upper layer and contribute to the undercutting of the glacier front.
Article
Geography, Physical
Jeetendra Saini, Ruediger Stein, Kirsten Fahl, Jens Weiser, Dierk Hebbeln, Lina Madaj
Summary: Sea-surface conditions during the Holocene were reconstructed using sediment cores from Baffin Bay and the Labrador Sea. The study found that Baffin Bay had extended spring sea ice cover in the Early Holocene, while the NE Labrador Sea remained predominantly ice-free. A transition towards reduced sea ice conditions in Baffin Bay occurred in the Middle Holocene, possibly due to ice melting and variations in water influx. In the Late Holocene, Baffin Bay had low in-situ ice algae production and enhanced drift sea ice, while the NE Labrador Sea remained ice-free.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gael Durand, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Goneri Le Cozannet, Tamsin L. Edwards, Paul R. Holland, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Ben Marzeion, Ruth Mottram, Robert J. Nicholls, Frank Pattyn, Frank Paul, Aimee B. A. Slangen, Ricarda Winkelmann, Clara Burgard, Caroline J. van Calcar, Jean-Baptiste Barre, Amelie Bataille, Anne Chapuis
Summary: Coastal areas are highly sensitive to sea-level change and play a crucial role in socio-economic activities. The future magnitude and rate of sea-level change are of great importance for coastal risk aversion and adaptation measures. Addressing this issue requires a transdisciplinary scientific community and close collaboration with local stakeholders.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Qinglin Zhang, Baojuan Huai, Michiel R. van den Broeke, John Cappelen, Minghu Ding, Yetang Wang, Weijun Sun
Summary: From 1958 to 2020, Greenland experienced periods of cooling and warming, with a turning point in the mid-1990s. Overall, there has been no significant warming after around 2005, except in the north and northeast. The magnitude of warming increases gradually from south to north, with the northeastern coast experiencing the most intense warming. Autumn and winter are the seasons with the most intense warming, particularly in the northeast. The correlations of temperature with large-scale circulation indices weaken from southwestern to northeastern Greenland. The shift in the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and Greenland Blocking Index (GBI) from positive to negative is critical to the sudden warming in Greenland since the mid-1990s.
JOURNAL OF CLIMATE
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Helene Seroussi, Colin R. Meyer
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Ken X. Zhao, Andrew L. Stewart, James C. Mcwilliams, Ian G. Fenty, Eric J. Rignot
Summary: Glacial fjord circulation plays a crucial role in connecting marine-terminating glaciers with offshore ocean currents. This study presents high-resolution numerical simulations of three glacial fjords and reveals the emergence of multiple long-lived standing eddies in each fjord due to realistic fjord geometries. These eddies are important for balancing vorticity generated by discharge and meltwater plume entrainment, reducing the overall recirculation, and potentially increasing melt rates near the ice face. The existence of standing eddies should be considered in glacial fjord circulation models and observations.
JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
J. Melchior van Wessem, Michiel R. R. van den Broeke, Bert Wouters, Stef Lhermitte
Summary: The study estimates the temperature thresholds for melt ponding over Antarctic ice shelves and reveals that cold and dry ice shelves are more vulnerable than expected. The commonly used -5 degrees C temperature threshold may not be applicable to all Antarctic ice shelves. The warming thresholds for melt pond formation are found to be highly variable and dependent on snow accumulation, suggesting that many ice shelves, even cold ones, may reach these thresholds by the end of the century.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Maurice van Tiggelen, Paul C. J. P. Smeets, Carleen H. Reijmer, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Dirk van As, Jason E. Box, Robert S. Fausto
Summary: Turbulent heat fluxes play a crucial role in surface melt over glaciers and ice sheets. However, the parameterization of these fluxes in climate models is challenging due to the unknown or tuned surface roughness lengths. In this study, we utilize a large dataset of eddy covariance observations to develop improved parameterizations for momentum, heat, and moisture roughness lengths over rough ice surfaces. The new parameterizations effectively model the sensible heat flux and cumulative ice ablation, highlighting the importance of accurately representing turbulent heat fluxes in surface melt simulations.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin J. Wallis, Anna E. Hogg, J. Melchior van Wessem, Benjamin J. Davison, Michiel R. van den Broeke
Summary: An analysis of satellite observations from 2014 to 2021 reveals that glaciers on the west Antarctic Peninsula experienced an average summer speed-up of 12.4% and a maximum speed change of 22.3%. This indicates a strong sensitivity of these glaciers to seasonal variations in the ice-ocean-atmosphere system, emphasizing the importance of accounting for seasonal speed variations when assessing the mass balance and sea level contribution of the Antarctic Peninsula.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin J. Davison, Anna E. Hogg, Richard Rigby, Sanne Veldhuijsen, Jan Melchior van Wessem, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Paul R. Holland, Heather L. Selley, Pierre Dutrieux
Summary: Anomalous precipitation has a significant impact on mass loss from the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Persistently low snowfall during 2009-2013 increased glacier melt, while extreme precipitation in 2019 and 2020 decreased mass loss. These findings highlight the importance of snowfall variability on short-term sea level contribution from West Antarctica.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
H. C. F. C. Hay, I. Fenty, R. T. Pappalardo, Y. Nakayama
Summary: Europa's geologically scarred surface suggests that its ice shell may have rotated nonsynchronously in the past. Oceanic currents beneath the ice can generate a previously unconsidered torque, which can either spin up or spin down the ice shell depending on convection strength. Simulations show that alternating east-west jets in the ocean produce a net torque on the ice shell, and a jet speed of at least 1 cm/s is necessary for the ice-ocean torque to be comparable to the tidal torque. Ocean currents may contribute to the nonsynchronous rotation of Europa's ice shell.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-PLANETS
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Weigang Liu, Xingguo Yang, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Baojuan Huai, Diyi Yang, Dongqi Zhang, Xiang Qin, Ping Yue, Heling Wang, Minghu Ding
Summary: This study presents the cold-season glacier surface energy balance (SEB) result at high altitudes on Mt. Qomolangma based on in-situ observation from October 2007 to January 2008. The results show that strong winds and deficient clouds during the observational period led to a substantial sensible heat transport toward the glacier surface and an increase in longwave radiative loss. The clouds' shading effect surpassed its greenhouse effect and resulted in a decrease in incident solar radiation.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-ATMOSPHERES
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jason E. Box, Kristian P. Nielsen, Xiaohua Yang, Masashi Niwano, Adrien Wehrle, Dirk van As, Xavier Fettweis, Morten A. O. Koltzow, Bolli Palmason, Robert S. Fausto, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Baojuan Huai, Andreas P. Ahlstrom, Kirsty Langley, Armin Dachauer, Brice Noel
Summary: This study evaluates the performance of five state-of-the-art numerical prediction systems in predicting rainfall in Greenland. The new EU Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) Arctic Regional ReAnalysis (CARRA) model shows the best performance compared to in situ rainfall data. The study also examines the mechanisms behind extreme weather events such as heavy rain and storms in Greenland using the CARRA model.
METEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
M. Brils, P. Kuipers Munneke, M. R. van den Broeke
Summary: Using a combination of ice and climate models, this study examines the changes in firn layer thickness and pore space on the Greenland Ice Sheet. The research reveals that the North Atlantic Oscillation has a spatially heterogeneous impact on the thickness and pore space, with a stronger NAO leading to recovery in the south and east after a period of thinning and reduced pore space. However, other regions of the ice sheet continued to experience a loss in pore space.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2023)
Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Jason E. Box, Kristian P. Nielsen, Xiaohua Yang, Masashi Niwano, Adrien Wehrle, Dirk van As, Xavier Fettweis, Morten A. o. Koltzow, Bolli Palmason, Robert S. Fausto, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Baojuan Huai, Andreas P. Ahlstrom, Kirsty Langley, Armin Dachauer, Brice Noel
Summary: This study examines rainfall in Greenland using five state-of-the-art numerical prediction systems. The results demonstrate that the EU Copernicus Climate Change Service (CARRA) provides the most accurate rainfall data, while also revealing extreme rainfall events and the formation mechanism of rain bands in the southern Greenland region. In summary, CARRA is a reliable source for assessing Greenland rainfall.
METEOROLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ines N. Otosaka, Andrew Shepherd, Erik R. Ivins, Nicole-Jeanne Schlegel, Charles Amory, Michiel R. van den Broeke, Martin Horwath, Ian Joughin, Michalea D. King, Gerhard Krinner, Sophie Nowicki, Anthony J. Payne, Eric Rignot, Ted Scambos, Karen M. Simon, Benjamin E. Smith, Louise S. Sorensen, Isabella Velicogna, Pippa L. Whitehouse, A. Geruo, Cecile Agosta, Andreas P. Ahlstrom, Alejandro Blazquez, William Colgan, Marcus E. Engdahl, Xavier Fettweis, Rene Forsberg, Hubert Gallee, Alex Gardner, Lin Gilbert, Noel Gourmelen, Andreas Groh, Brian C. Gunter, Christopher Harig, Veit Helm, Shfaqat Abbas Khan, Christoph Kittel, Hannes Konrad, Peter L. Langen, Benoit S. Lecavalier, Chia-Chun Liang, Bryant D. Loomis, Malcolm McMillan, Daniele Melini, Sebastian H. Mernild, Ruth Mottram, Jeremie Mouginot, Johan Nilsson, Brice Noel, Mark E. Pattle, William R. Peltier, Nadege Pie, Monica Roca, Ingo Sasgen, Himanshu V. Save, Ki-Weon Seo, Bernd Scheuchl, Ernst J. O. Schrama, Ludwig Schroder, Sebastian B. Simonsen, Thomas Slater, Giorgio Spada, Tyler C. Sutterley, Bramha Dutt Vishwakarma, Jan Melchior van Wessem, David Wiese, Wouter van der Wal, Bert Wouters
Summary: Ice losses from Greenland and Antarctica have accelerated since the 1990s, contributing to a significant rise in global mean sea level. A new 29-year record of ice sheet mass balance from 1992 to 2020, combining 50 independent estimates, reveals that the ice sheets contributed 21 +/- 1.9mm to global mean sea level. The rate of mass loss increased from 105 Gt/yr between 1992 and 1996 to 372 Gt/yr between 2016 and 2020.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Sanne B. M. Veldhuijsen, Willem Jan van de Berg, Max Brils, Peter Kuipers Munneke, Michiel R. van den Broeke
Summary: The study presents and evaluates a simulation of the contemporary Antarctic firn layer using an updated semi-empirical model. The model improvements include fresh-snow density, firn compaction parameterizations, and updated atmospheric forcing. Performance of the model has improved in certain regions, but a substantial trend difference remains in some areas due to uncertainties in the spin-up forcing. These trend differences can be reduced by 38% by estimating previous climatic conditions from ice core data.
