Closing Greenland's mass balance: frontal ablation of every Greenlandic glacier from 2000 to 2020
Kochtitzky, W.; Copland, L.; King, M.; Hugonnet, R.; Jiskoot, H.; Morlighem, M.; Millan, R.; Khan, S.A.; Noël, B. (2023). Closing Greenland's mass balance: frontal ablation of every Greenlandic glacier from 2000 to 2020. Geophys. Res. Lett. 50(17): e2023GL104095. https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104095
In: Geophysical Research Letters. American Geophysical Union: Washington. ISSN 0094-8276; e-ISSN 1944-8007, more
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| Keyword |
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| Author keywords |
glaciology; remote sensing; frontal ablation; glacier mass loss; cryosphere; calving |
| Authors | | Top |
- Kochtitzky, W.
- Copland, L.
- King, M.
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- Hugonnet, R.
- Jiskoot, H.
- Morlighem, M.
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- Millan, R.
- Khan, S.A.
- Noël, B., more
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| Abstract |
In Greenland, 87% of the glacierized area terminates in the ocean, but mass lost at the ice-ocean interface, or frontal ablation, has not yet been fully quantified. Using measurements and models we calculate frontal ablation of Greenland's 213 outlet and 537 peripheral glaciers and find a total frontal ablation of 481.8 ± 24.0 for 2000–2010 and 510.2 ± 18.6 Gt a−1 for 2010–2020. Ice discharge accounted for ∼90% of frontal ablation during both periods, while mass loss due to terminus retreat comprised the remainder. Only 16 glaciers were responsible for the majority (>50%) of frontal ablation from 2010 to 2020. These estimates, along with the climatic-basal balance, allow for a more complete accounting of Greenland Ice Sheet and peripheral glacier mass balance. In total, Greenland accounted for ∼90% of Northern Hemisphere frontal ablation for 2000–2010 and 2010–2020.
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