Article
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Pierre-Vincent Huot, Thierry Fichefet, Nicolas C. Jourdain, Pierre Mathiot, Clement Rousset, Christoph Kittel, Xavier Fettweis
Summary: The D'Urville Sea in East Antarctica is a major source of Dense Shelf Water (DSW) and precursor of Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which plays a crucial role in global ocean circulation and long-term climate variability. Climate models have biases in representing AABW properties due to potentially overlooking important mechanisms like tides and ocean-ice shelf interactions. Recent studies suggest that tides and ice shelves significantly influence the coastal seas of Antarctica, where AABW originates, but their implications on DSW formation remain poorly understood, particularly in the D'Urville Sea.
Article
Environmental Sciences
N. J. Teder, L. G. Bennetts, P. A. Reid, R. A. Massom
Summary: Sea ice can attenuate the impact of swell on Antarctic ice shelves, but certain ice shelves may still experience flexural stresses caused by large swell, exacerbating climate-driven weakening and decreased buttressing capacity, thus influencing sea-level rise.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Ray H. Watkins, Jeremy N. Bassis, M. D. Thouless
Summary: Recent research has found a strong correlation between the roughness of ice shelves and basal melt, suggesting that increased melt leads to larger channels for melting, increased fracturing and decreased stability. This indicates that the mechanical stability of ice shelves may be more tightly controlled by ocean forcing than previously thought.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Markus A. Janout, Hartmut H. Hellmer, Tore Hattermann, Oliver Huhn, Juergen Sueltenfuss, Svein Osterhus, Lukrecia Stulic, Svenja Ryan, Michael Schroeder, Torsten Kanzow
Summary: The Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS) is influenced by moderate basal melt rates and near-freezing waters in the southern Weddell Sea. Recent surveys in 2018 revealed different water sources and circulation patterns, showing the importance of different water masses in protecting the ice shelf against inflowing warm waters.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kazuya Kusahara
Summary: Recent observations have shown changes in the Antarctic sea ice and ice shelf over the years. Analysis from an ocean-sea ice-ice shelf model reveals a clear anti-correlation between Antarctic sea ice extent and ice shelf basal melting, indicating that the summer sea ice extent can act as a proxy for predicting Antarctic coastal water masses and ice shelf melting.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
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)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hannes Eisermann, Graeme Eagles, Antonia Stefanie Ruppel, Andreas Laeufer, Wilfried Jokat
Summary: This article discusses the influences of atmospheric and oceanic melting on ice shelf stability, the impact of subglacial bathymetry on ice shelf stability, and the development and results of the model. The study reveals the existence of deep glacial troughs beneath the ice shelves and bathymetric sills near the continental shelf, indicating sensitivity to climate change and ocean temperatures.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-EARTH SURFACE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
P. A. Reid, R. A. Massom
Summary: Loss of protective sea-ice buffer in Antarctica has led to increased exposure of the coastal environment to open ocean and waves, which has significant effects on ice-shelf stability, coastal erosion, ice-ocean-atmosphere interactions, and shallow benthic ecosystems. Researchers have introduced a climate and environmental metric called Coastal Exposure Length, which measures the daily changes and variability in the length and occurrence of unprotected coastline in Antarctica. The study found that around 50% of Antarctica's 17,850-km coastline had no sea ice offshore each summer, with variations in exposure levels across regions and seasons. From 1979 to 2020, the annual maximum length of coastal exposure decreased by approximately 30 km per year.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Kazuya Kusahara, Daisuke Hirano, Masakazu Fujii, Alexander D. Fraser, Takeshi Tamura
Summary: This study investigates the basal melting of Antarctic ice shelves in different regions using simulation methods, revealing the mechanisms and seasonal variations of CDW intrusion in different regions of Antarctica, and discussing the impact of fast ice on the marine environment in the bay.
Article
Oceanography
P. Wongpan, M. Vancoppenolle, P. J. Langhorne, I. J. Smith, G. Madec, A. J. Gough, A. R. Mahoney, T. G. Haskell
Summary: This study describes the halo-thermodynamic mechanisms driving the development and stability of the sub-ice platelet layer (SIPL) near Antarctic ice shelves. Through sea ice model simulations, the researchers were able to predict a realistic model analogue for the SIPL by imposing a large initial brine fraction on newly forming ice and utilizing brine rejection via advective desalination. The favorable conditions for SIPL formation include cold air, supercooled waters, and thick enough ice and snow to provide sufficient thermal insulation.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Christina Bienhold, Vibe Schourup-Kristensen, Thomas Krumpen, Eva-Maria Noethig, Frank Wenzhoefer, Meri Korhonen, Myriel Vredenborg, Laura Hehemann, Antje Boetius
Summary: The central Arctic Ocean is undergoing rapid changes due to amplified warming and sea ice retreat. Limited observations in this remote area make it challenging to document and understand the impacts on key ecosystem processes. However, a study at the Laptev Sea continental slope reveals that sea ice breakup occurred earlier and the ice-free period extended by over 30 days in 2012 compared to 1993. Primary production in the study area also significantly increased in 2012. The flux of organic carbon to the seafloor slightly increased, but not as much as primary production, possibly due to a more developed retention system. Benthic surveys showed a substantial increase in the availability of phytodetritus at the seafloor along the entire transect.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Wojciech Majewski, Witold Szczucinski, Andrew J. Gooday
Summary: Sub-Antarctic fjords in South Georgia were studied to understand the effect of climate change on living benthic foraminifera. Four distinct foraminiferal assemblages were identified, with Miliammina earlandi dominating in glacier-proximal habitats, Cassidulinoides aff. parkerianus in mid-fjord areas, and Globocassidulina aff. rossensis and an assemblage dominated by Ammobaculites rostratus, Reophax subfusiformis, and Astrononion echolsi in the outer fjords. Miliammina earlandi showed adaptability to glacial influence and high sedimentation rates, while C. aff. parkerianus was well-suited to inner-fjord conditions.
Editorial Material
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Robert D. Larter
Summary: Ice shelves in Antarctica restrict the outflow of glaciers and limit the contribution to sea-level rise. However, past events have shown their vulnerability to melting, making it the largest uncertainty in predicting future sea-level rise. An analysis of ice-shelf roughness variations suggests a potential measure of the impact of basal melting on the structural integrity of ice shelves. Further research is needed to explore other contributing factors.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
Hongjie Wang, Peigen Lin, Robert S. Pickart, Jessica N. Cross
Summary: By compiling CO2 measurements from 1989 to 2019, researchers found that the Bering and eastern Chukchi Sea shelves act as a CO2 sink except under certain conditions. The CO2 system in the area is mainly controlled by the biological pump, with wind-driven upwelling causing episodic outgassing. Temperature is the dominant driver of seasonal surface Delta fCO(2), and long-term patterns in Delta fCO(2) are influenced by temperature as well. Rapid warming in the northern Chukchi Sea has decreased the summer CO2 sink, while increasing primary productivity has increased it on the Bering Sea shelf.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2022)
Article
Oceanography
S. Wahlgren, J. Thomson, L. C. Biddle, S. Swart
Summary: Wave energy has an impact on the quality and extent of sea ice in the Antarctic marginal ice zone, and understanding wave propagation is crucial for predicting changes in sea ice cover. In this study, new in situ data collected from drifting buoys in the Weddell Sea reveal season-dependent attenuation of swell and a change in wave direction in sea ice compared to open water. These observations provide valuable insights into wave-sea ice interactions and can aid the development of accurate models for representing the influence of sea ice on wave propagation.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Henry P. Huntington, Andrey Zagorsky, Bjorn P. Kaltenborn, Hyoung Chul Shin, Jackie Dawson, Maija Lukin, Parnuna Egede Dahl, Peiqing Guo, David N. Thomas
Summary: The changing Arctic Ocean is impacting Arctic societies and the global community, with threats to food security and culture for Indigenous Peoples, as well as new opportunities and challenges arising from resource development and tourism growth. Additionally, geopolitical tensions and economic shifts are emerging as interest in the Arctic increases.
Article
Oceanography
Colin A. Stedmon, Rainer M. W. Amon, Dorothea Bauch, Astrid Bracher, Rafael Goncalves-Araujo, Mario Hoppmann, Richard Krishfield, Samuel Laney, Benjamin Rabe, Heather Reader, Mats A. Granskog
Summary: This study highlights the potential of dissolved organic matter (DOM) as a tracer in the Arctic Ocean, particularly in the halocline layer. By measuring the fluorescence levels of DOM, distinct contributions from different sources can be distinguished and help evaluate ocean circulation patterns.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2021)
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
Erik Andersson, Wiebren J. Boonstra, Maricela de la Torre Castro, Alice C. Hughes, Ulrik Ilstedt, Arne Jernelov, Bengt-Gunnar Jonsson, Zahra Kalantari, Carina Keskitalo, Emma Kritzberg, Thomas Katterer, Jeffrey A. McNeely, Claudia Mohr, Tero Mustonen, Madelene Ostwald, Victoria Reyes-Garcia, Graciela M. Rusch, Angelina Sanderson Bellamy, Jesper Stage, Michael Tedengren, David N. Thomas, Angela Wulff, Bo Soderstrom
Editorial Material
Engineering, Environmental
David N. Thomas, Damian L. Arevalo-Martinez, Kirsty C. Crocket, Fabian Grosse, Julia Grosse, Kirstin Schulz, Roxana Suhring, Allyson Tessin
Article
Biology
Federica Manca, Clelia Mula, Camilla Gustafsson, Achille Mauri, Tomas Roslin, David N. Thomas, Lisandro Benedetti-Cecchi, Alf Norkko, Giovanni Strona
Summary: Network theory provides innovative tools to explore complex ecological mechanisms regulating species associations and interactions. However, the application of network approaches is unevenly distributed across different study systems, with aquatic macrophyte-animal associations in coastal environments being largely neglected. Network analysis has the potential to broaden our understanding of coastal ecosystems and their response to anthropogenic disturbance and environmental change.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Oguz Demir, Joel T. Johnson, Kenneth C. Jezek, Mark J. Andrews, Kenneth Ayotte, Gunnar Spreen, Stefan Hendricks, Lars Kaleschke, Marc Oggier, Mats A. Granskog, Allison Fong, Mario Hoppmann, Ilkka Matero, Daniel Scholz
Summary: In this study, a ground-based ultra-wideband radiometer was used to measure microwave thermal emissions from an Arctic sea ice floe. The measured circularly polarized brightness temperatures were compared with a radiative transfer model, showing good agreement consistently over the observation period. The results demonstrate the capabilities of 0.5-2 GHz microwave radiometry for observing sea ice properties and also show the impact of a saline ice layer at the ice bottom on the measured brightness temperature.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON GEOSCIENCE AND REMOTE SENSING
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Maren E. E. Richter, Greg H. H. Leonard, Inga J. J. Smith, Pat J. J. Langhorne, Andrew R. R. Mahoney, Matthew Parry
Summary: Accurate landfast sea-ice (fast-ice) thickness is important for various disciplines. This study examines the comparability of thickness results from different designs and methods of Sea Ice Monitoring Stations (SIMS), identifies recommended methods for robustness and accuracy, and explores salvaging unuseable data through specific SIMS designs. The analysis of SIMS data from McMurdo Sound and the Chukchi Sea shows that median thicknesses derived from different methods are comparable, and the vertical gradient of sea-ice temperature provides the best results for fast-ice thickness.
JOURNAL OF GLACIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Oceanography
P. J. Langhorne, C. Haas, D. Price, W. Rack, G. H. Leonard, G. M. Brett, S. Urbini
Summary: This study presents the first inventory of fast ice thickness close to its annual maximum, using a 700 km airborne electromagnetic survey. The results show that rough ice occupies a significant portion and has larger thickness, while the sub-ice platelet layers (SIPLs) are thin in some areas but still have important implications.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-OCEANS
(2023)
Article
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Maren Elisabeth Richter, Inga J. Smith, Jonathan R. Everts, Peter Russell, Pat J. Langhorne, Greg H. Leonard
Summary: The effects of particles, such as suspended sediments or small ice crystals, on conductivity cells have been studied. These particles can affect the measurements of conductivity, salinity, and supercooling. Entraining microplastics into conductivity cells can simulate the effect of ice crystals, and the results show that it can lead to significant changes in conductivity and supercooling measurements. Correcting for the presence of these particles is important in accurately measuring salinity in high frazil concentration areas.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zina Kebir, Catherine Chambers, Andre Frainier, Vera Hausner, Ann Eileen Lennert, Jennifer Lento, Amanda Poste, Virve Ravolainen, Angelika H. H. Renner, David N. Thomas, Kerry Waylen
Summary: There is an urgent need to understand and address the risks associated with a warming climate for ecosystems and societies in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions. Major gaps in understanding climate change effects and the need for collaborative efforts to resolve them were identified by a panel of scientists and practitioners in the Norwegian High North.
Review
Geochemistry & Geophysics
A. D. Fraser, P. Wongpan, P. J. Langhorne, A. R. Klekociuk, K. Kusahara, D. Lannuzel, R. A. Massom, K. M. Meiners, K. M. Swadling, D. P. Atwater, G. M. Brett, M. Corkill, L. A. Dalman, S. Fiddes, A. Granata, L. Guglielmo, P. Heil, G. H. Leonard, A. R. Mahoney, A. McMinn, P. van der Merwe, C. K. Weldrick, B. Wienecke
Summary: Antarctic landfast sea ice, also known as fast ice, is stationary sea ice that is attached to the coast, grounded icebergs, ice shelves, or other protrusions on the continental shelf. Despite its limited extent, fast ice plays a crucial role in various physical, biological, and biogeochemical processes, with both local and far-reaching consequences for the Earth system.
REVIEWS OF GEOPHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Antonia Ahme, Anabel Von Jackowski, Rebecca A. McPherson, Klara K. E. Wolf, Mario Hoppmann, Stefan Neuhaus, Uwe John
Summary: As new species intrude into Arctic microbial communities via Atlantification and ocean warming, the composition and function of the ecosystem may change. Our study found that increasing the temperature to 9 degrees C significantly reduces diversity and alters the composition, while a temperature of 6 degrees C has only minor effects. The abundance of different organisms varies with temperature, indicating a thermal limit between 6 degrees C and 9 degrees C for many Arctic species.
Article
Geography, Physical
Greg H. Leonard, Kate E. Turner, Maren E. Richter, Maddy S. Whittaker, Inga J. Smith
Summary: In 2019, the sea ice conditions in McMurdo Sound were unusual, with a late formation of stable fast-ice cover correlated strongly with several unusually large southerly wind events.
Article
Geography, Physical
Ruibo Lei, Mario Hoppmann, Bin Cheng, Guangyu Zuo, Dawei Gui, Qiongqiong Cai, H. Jakob Belter, Wangxiao Yang
Summary: Arctic sea ice kinematics and deformation show spatial and seasonal variability, with responses to wind and inertial forcing stronger in certain regions. As ice concentration and thickness increase seasonally, ice mechanical strength also increases, leading to more localized ice deformation. Measuring ice deformation rates can provide insight into the impacts of oceanic and atmospheric factors on sea ice dynamics.
Article
Geography, Physical
Christian Katlein, Lovro Valcic, Simon Lambert-Girard, Mario Hoppmann
Summary: The study focuses on the radiative transfer of solar radiation through polar sea ice, providing insights into key processes in climate and ecosystem models. By deploying a new instrument in the sea ice, researchers obtained vertically resolved light measurements of radiative transfer processes, revealing the spatiotemporal aspects of radiation transfer within the sea ice itself.
