The Thinning of Pine Island Glacier: Model Development and Study of the Importance of Ice-Shelf Drag on Inland Ice

0126187Alley该奖项为研究松岛冰川(PIG)动态的两年建模工作提供支持。这只猪的排放构成了西南极冰流中最大的质量损失。卫星观测表明，这个出口冰川正在经历不断的变薄和加速。这项工作的重点将是了解观察到的猪变薄的原因和近期预测。模型实验将解决这样的假设，即所观察到的变化是由支撑冰架的丧失引起的，并且这些变化将以冰川上层传播变薄和加速的波的形式继续下去。为了完成这项工作，将开发一个松岛冰川盆地质量、能量和动量耦合平衡的数值模式。该模型将包括四个模块组件，它们将被耦合，然后以欧洲冰盖建模倡议(EISMINT)模型相互比较为基准。然后，利用可能的冰架历史和可能的基本边界条件，将该模型应用于松岛冰川变薄，以了解哪些可能是准确的，并评估未来可能的行为。预期的主要成果将是更好地了解冰架支撑的重要性，以及由于减少冰架阻力而可能导致的内陆变薄。

0126187AlleyThis award provides support for a 2 year modeling effort to study the dynamics of Pine Island Glacier (PIG). The discharge from the PIG constitutes the largest mass loss from any single West Antarctic ice stream. Satellite observations indicate that this outlet glacier is experiencing ongoing thinning and acceleration. The emphasis of this work will be on understanding the cause and the near-term projection of the observed thinning of PIG. Model experiments will address the hypothesis that the observed changes were caused by the loss of a buttressing ice shelf, and that the changes will continue in the form of an upglacier propagating wave of thinning and acceleration. To perform this work a numerical model of the coupled mass, energy, and momentum balance of Pine Island Glacier basin will be developed. The model will comprise four modular components, which will be coupled and then benchmarked against the European Ice Sheet Modeling Inititative (EISMINT) model intercomparison. The model will then be applied to the thinning of Pine Island Glacier using likely ice-shelf histories and possible basal boundary conditions to learn which may be accurate and to assess possible future behavior. The primary expected result will be an improved understanding of the importance of ice-shelf buttressing and the potential for inland thinning due to the reduction of ice-shelf drag.