The Sensitivity of the Spatial Pattern of Sea Level Changes to the Depth of Antarctic Meltwater Fluxes

Abstract

Regional patterns of sea level rise are affected by a range of factors including glacial melting, which has occurred in recent decades and is projected to increase in the future, perhaps dramatically. Previous modeling studies have typically included fluxes from melting glacial ice only as a surface forcing of the ocean or as an offline addition to the sea surface height fields produced by climate models. However, observational estimates suggest that the majority of the meltwater from the Antarctic Ice Sheet actually enters the ocean at depth through ice shelf basal melt. Here we use simulations with an ocean general circulation model in an idealized configuration. The results show that the simulated global sea level change pattern is sensitive to the depth at which Antarctic meltwater enters the ocean. Further analysis suggests that the response is dictated primarily by the steric response to the depth of the meltwater flux.

Description
Advisor
Degree
Type
Journal article
Keywords
Citation

Eisenman, I., Basinski-Ferris, A., Beer, E., & Zanna, L. (2024). The Sensitivity of the Spatial Pattern of Sea Level Changes to the Depth of Antarctic Meltwater Fluxes. Geophysical Research Letters, 51(19), e2024GL110633. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110633

Has part(s)
Forms part of
Rights
Except where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license. Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the terms of the license or beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.
Citable link to this page