Inland Summer Speedup at Zachariæ Isstrøm, Northeast Greenland, Driven by Subglacial Hydrology

Abstract The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) has experienced substantial dynamic thinning in recent years. Here, we examine the evolving behavior of NEGIS, with focus on summer speedup at Zachariae Isstrøm, one of the NEGIS outlet glaciers, which has exhibited rapid retreat and acceleration, indicative of its vulnerability to changing climate conditions. Through a combination of Sentinel‐1 data, in‐situ GPS observations, and numerical ice flow modeling from 2007, we investigate the mechanisms driving short‐term changes. Our analysis reveals a summer speedup in ice flow both near the terminus and inland, with satellite data detecting changes up to 60 km inland, while GPS data capture changes up to 190 km inland along the glacier center line. We attribute this summer speedup to variations in subglacial hydrology, where surface meltwater runoff influences basal friction over the melt season. Incorporating subglacial hydrology into numerical models makes it possible to replicate observed ice velocity patterns.

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Publication Details

Journal
Geophysical Research Letters
Published
2024-09-15
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1029/2024gl110691
Citations
3
Primary Topic
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
1.13

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article

Inland Summer Speedup at Zachariæ Isstrøm, Northeast Greenland, Driven by Subglacial Hydrology

Shivani Ehrenfeucht, Youngmin Choi, Shfaqat Abbas Khan, Helene L. Seroussi et al.
3 citations
Geophysical Research Letters
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
1.13
article

Inland Summer Speedup at Zachariæ Isstrøm, Northeast Greenland, Driven by Subglacial Hydrology

Shivani Ehrenfeucht, Youngmin Choi, Shfaqat Abbas Khan, Helene L. Seroussi, Eric J. Rignot, Angelika Humbert, Javed Hassan, Derek Pickell, Mathieu Morlighem
article en
3 citations

Abstract

Abstract The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) has experienced substantial dynamic thinning in recent years. Here, we examine the evolving behavior of NEGIS, with focus on summer speedup at Zachariae Isstrøm, one of the NEGIS outlet glaciers, which has exhibited rapid retreat and acceleration, indicative of its vulnerability to changing climate conditions. Through a combination of Sentinel‐1 data, in‐situ GPS observations, and numerical ice flow modeling from 2007, we investigate the mechanisms driving short‐term changes. Our analysis reveals a summer speedup in ice flow both near the terminus and inland, with satellite data detecting changes up to 60 km inland, while GPS data capture changes up to 190 km inland along the glacier center line. We attribute this summer speedup to variations in subglacial hydrology, where surface meltwater runoff influences basal friction over the melt season. Incorporating subglacial hydrology into numerical models makes it possible to replicate observed ice velocity patterns.

Geophysical Research LettersVol. 51(18)
Dartmouth College (US), Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung (DE), Jet Propulsion Laboratory (US), University of Waterloo (CA), University of Bremen (DE), University of California, Irvine (US), Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (US), University of Maryland, College Park (US), Technical University of Denmark (DK)
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Openalex Percentile: Top 24%
Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
1.13
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