Summer drivers of atmospheric variability affecting ice shelf thinning in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica

Deb, Pranab, Orr, Andrew, Bromwich, David H., Nicolas, Julien P., Turner, John and Hosking, J. Scott (2018) Summer drivers of atmospheric variability affecting ice shelf thinning in the Amundsen Sea Embayment, West Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters, 45 (9). pp. 4124-4133. ISSN 0094-8276

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Abstract

Satellite data and a 35-year hindcast of the Amundsen Sea Embayment summer climate using the Weather Research and Forecasting model are used to understand how regional and large-scale atmospheric variability affects thinning of ice shelves in this sector of West Antarctica by melting from above and below (linked to intrusions of warm water caused by anomalous westerlies over the continental shelf edge). El Nino episodes are associated with an increase in surface melt but do not have a statistically significant impact on westerly winds over the continental shelf edge. The location of the Amundsen Sea Low and the polarity of the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) have negligible impact on surface melting, although a positive SAM and eastward shift of the Amundsen Sea Low cause anomalous westerlies over the continental shelf edge. The projected future increase in El Nino episodes and positive SAM could therefore increase the risk of disintegration of West Antarctic ice shelves.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	ice shelves,west antarctica,amundsen sea embayment,melting,pine island glacier,el nino-southern oscillation,sdg 13 - climate action ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/climate_action
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Environmental Sciences
Depositing User:	LivePure Connector
Date Deposited:	22 Aug 2018 14:30
Last Modified:	22 Oct 2022 04:02
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/68107
DOI:	10.1029/2018GL077092

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