What the study found
The study found a consistently stratified 30-meter-thick water column beneath nearly 600 meters of ice and snow at the Kamb Ice Stream grounding zone of the Ross Ice Shelf. Warmer inflowing seawater was separated from a colder outflowing mixture of seawater and glacial meltwater.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors say grounding zone conditions have major implications for global sea level rise over the coming century and beyond. The findings indicate that the grounding zone may act as a distinct region within the ice-shelf cavity.
What the researchers tested
The researchers presented ocean data from the Kamb Ice Stream grounding zone. They used a 10-month-long timeseries to examine stratification beneath the ice shelf and the effects of internal wave activity on mixing between layers.
What worked and what didn't
The stratification was resilient but variable over the 10-month record. Internal wave activity led to frequent mixing between the two layers, and this is described as suggesting a mechanistic underpinning for the grounding zone as a distinct region within the cavity.
What to keep in mind
Direct access to grounding zone ocean environments is difficult, so such settings have been sampled only a handful of times and usually only as brief snapshots. The abstract does not describe additional limitations beyond this scope constraint.
Key points
- A 30-meter-thick stratified water column was observed beneath the Ross Ice Shelf grounding zone.
- Warm inflowing seawater was separated from a colder outflowing mix of seawater and glacial meltwater.
- The 10-month record showed the layering was resilient but variable.
- Internal wave activity frequently mixed the two layers.
- The authors say grounding zone conditions may matter for future sea level rise.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Stratified water and tides shape Ross Ice Shelf basal melting
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with peer-reviewed research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.