A rapidly retreating, marine-terminating glacier's modeled response to perturbations in basal traction

Upernavik Isstrom, a marine glacier undergoing rapid retreat, is simulated by forcing a numerical model with ocean-driven melt. A review of processes driving retreat led us to hypothesize that a glacier undergoing rapid retreat may be less sensitive to perturbations in the balance of forces than a glacier that is undergoing moderate changes or a glacier in steady state. Numerical experiments suggest this is not the case, and that a system in rapid retreat is as sensitive to basal traction perturbations as a system that is near to steady state. This result is important when considering other glacier systems experiencing marine-forced retreat. While the ice-ocean interface is of primary importance, additional perturbations from meltwater-forced decoupling of the glacier from its bed continue to feature in glacier dynamics.

Automated summary

This study simulates the rapid retreat of Upernavik Isstrom marine glacier and investigates the mechanisms driving glacier retreat. The results show that a glacier undergoing rapid retreat is as sensitive to perturbations in the balance of forces as a glacier in steady state. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of meltwater-forced decoupling in glacier dynamics.