Diverging future surface mass balance between the Antarctic ice shelves and grounded ice sheet
2021 The Cryosphere, 15 (3), 1215-1236
Kittel, C., Amory, C., Agosta, C., Jourdain, N. C., Hofer, S., Delhasse, A., Doutreloup, S., Huot, P.-V., Lang, C., Fichefet, T., & Fettweis, X.
Summary
This study highlights a major decoupling in Antarctica's future: while the grounded ice sheet gains mass due to increased snowfall, the ice shelves face a dramatic increase in surface melting. Using the MAR model, we showed that by 2100, runoff could increase by a factor of 10 to 100, potentially threatening the stability of the shelves via hydrofracturing.
Key Takeaway
"Surface melt is the dominant driver of mass loss for ice shelves, unlike the grounded ice sheet which remains dominated by snowfall."