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

[126187alley]该奖项为为期2年的建模工作提供支持，以研究松岛冰川（PIG）的动力学。南极南极冰川的流量是南极西部冰流最大的质量损失。卫星观测表明，这个出口冰川正在不断变薄和加速。这项工作的重点将是了解的原因和近期预测的观测变薄的猪。模式实验将证实这样一种假设，即观测到的变化是由支撑冰架的丧失引起的，这种变化将以变薄和加速的向上传播波的形式继续下去。为了完成这项工作，我们将建立一个松岛冰川流域质量、能量和动量平衡耦合的数值模型。该模型将由四个模块组成，它们将被耦合起来，然后以欧洲冰盖模拟倡议（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底边界条件，将该模型应用于松岛冰川的变薄，以了解哪个是准确的，并评估可能的未来行为。预期的主要结果将是提高对冰架支撑的重要性的认识，以及由于冰架阻力减少而导致内陆变薄的可能性。

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.