Vulnerability of East Antarctic Ice Streams to warm Ocean Water Incursions

知识价值：该项目将确定关键冰流对温暖的海水侵入大陆架的潜在脆弱性，以及这种机制是否已经可以解释任何观测到的冰盖变薄。它将提供对EAIS所调查部分冰动力的重要约束，因此将对未来的冰盖模型至关重要，并为EAIS对过去海平面高水位的贡献提供机制。该计划建议调查东经~90°和东经160°之间大陆架上的四个关键冰流系统。他们将使用多波束测深技术来确定跨大陆架槽是否存在以及在哪里存在，以帮助确定这些槽是否可以为变暖的海水提供潜在的途径。此外，对这些冰槽的形态特征进行详细的分析，可以提供有关古冰流的过去冰动力、最大范围和流动方向的信息。pi还将沿着这些槽和大陆斜坡进行水柱测量，以确定在不久的将来，温暖的海水是否会进入大陆架，或者这些水是否已经进入任何槽，从而可能导致观测到的一些冰流变薄。更广泛的影响：该项目包括本科生和研究生参与和支持实地工作和数据分析。polpoltrec的一名教师和Earth2Class教师计划可能会参与到K-12学生中。

Intellectual Merit: This project will determine the potential vulnerability of key ice streams to incursions of warmer ocean water onto the continental shelf and if this mechanism could already explain any of the observed thinning of the ice sheet. It will provide important constrains on ice dynamic of the investigated section of the EAIS, and thus will be critical for future ice sheet models and provide mechanisms for EAIS contributions to past sea level high-stand. The PI proposes to investigate four key ice stream systems on the continental shelf between ~90°E and 160°E. They will use multibeam bathymetry to identify if and where cross-shelf troughs exist to help determine whether these troughs could provide potential pathways for warmer ocean water. Furthermore, detailed analysis of morphological features of these troughs could provide information on past ice dynamic, maximum extent, and flow direction of related paleo ice streams. The PIs will also conduct water column measurements along these troughs and on the continental slope to determine whether warmer ocean water could enter the shelf in the near future, or if such water has already entered any troughs, and thus might be causing the observed thinning of some ice streams.Broader impacts: This project includes the participation and support of undergraduate and graduate students in field work and data analysis. The possible involvement of a PolarTREC teacher and the Earth2Class teachers program will reach out to K-12 students.