Satellite‑observed recent flow acceleration of glaciers and model‑based environmental associations in Victoria Land, East Antarctica

Antarctic ice mass loss has intensified in recent decades. However, short-term glacier velocity variability in Victoria Land, East Antarctica, remains poorly documented. This study used Sentinel-1 SLC data and environmental records from 2017 to 2025 to quantify glacier-velocity variability in Victoria Land and examine its model-based statistical associations with selected atmospheric and oceanic variables using XGBoost–SHAP. The results show positive multi-year acceleration trends over the 2017–2025 observational period, superimposed on pronounced seasonal variability. The six selected glacier systems showed positive acceleration rates: Barnett Glacier (2.06 ± 0.92% a−1), Borchgrevink Glacier (2.39 ± 0.66% a−1), David Glacier–Drygalski Ice Tongue system (1.68 ± 0.23% a−1), Larsen Glacier (3.78 ± 0.69% a−1), McMahon Glacier (2.91 ± 0.73% a−1), and Oakley Glacier (2.54 ± 0.33% a−1). Spatially resolved velocity maps, centerline profiles, and terminus-region records revealed substantial differences in flow magnitude and variability among glaciers. Among the five environmental predictors examined, upper-ocean temperature had the largest overall model contribution, followed by near-surface air temperature, surface skin temperature, upper-ocean current speed, and runoff. This study provides a Sentinel-1-based record of recent glacier-velocity variability in Victoria Land and illustrates the utility of repeated, high-temporal-resolution SAR observations for characterizing glacier-flow variability in East Antarctica.