Contrasting melt regime in the Ice Grounding Zone of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica.

ABSTRACT: The contribution of Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica, to sea level rise is influenced by how quickly warm salty seawater of Circumpolar Deep Water origin melts basal ice near its grounding line. Satellite observations reveal tidally forced kilometer-scale seawater intrusions beneath grounded ice that form an "Ice Grounding Zone" (IGZ) where ice melts vigorously. Although melt rates have been measured at selected sites using Automated phase-sensitive Radar Echo Sounders (ApRES) and Automated Underwater Vehicle (AUV) instruments, their spatial distribution and total magnitude within the IGZ remain uncertain. Here, we present 2D high-resolution simulations of the melt regime of Thwaites Glacier using the Massachusetts Institute of Technology global circulation model ocean model. The model predict

SUBMITTER: Gadi R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12685041 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature