the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Active lakes in Antarctica survive on a sedimentary substrate – Part 1: Theory
Abstract. Over the past decade satellite observations have revealed that active subglacial lake systems are widespread under the Antarctic ice sheet, including the ice streams, yet we have insufficient understanding of the lake-drainage process to incorporate it into ice sheet models. Process models for drainage of ice-dammed lakes based on conventional "R-channels" incised into the base of the ice through melting are unable to reproduce the timing and magnitude of drainage from Antarctic subglacial lakes estimated from satellite altimetry given the low hydraulic gradients along which such lakes drain. We developed a process model in which channels are mechanically eroded into deformable subglacial sediment (till) instead ("T-channel"). When applied to the known lakes of the Whillans/Mercer system, the model successfully reproduced the key characteristics of estimated lake volume changes for the period 2003–2009. If our model is realistic, it implies that most active lakes are shallow and only exist in the presence of saturated sediment, explaining why they are difficult to detect with classical radar methods. It also implies that the lake-drainage process is sensitive to the composition and strength of the underlying till, suggesting that models could be improved with a realistic treatment of sediment – interfacial water exchange.
- Preprint
(2017 KB) - Metadata XML
- BibTeX
- EndNote
- RC C343: 'Review of "Active lakes in Antarctica..." by Carter et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 09 Apr 2015
- SC C359: 'Comment on the discussion of the mechanism of the formation of ice shelf channels', Anne Le Brocq, 09 Apr 2015
- RC C492: 'Impressive model results, but with potentially significant issues with model formulation and presentation', Jonathan Kingslake, 20 Apr 2015
- RC C741: 'Review', Martin Lüthi, 11 May 2015
- AC C1340: 'Author Comment on “Interactive comment on “Active lakes in Antarctica survive on a sedimentary substrate – Part I: Theory” by S. P. Carter et al.”', Sasha Carter, 30 Jul 2015
- RC C343: 'Review of "Active lakes in Antarctica..." by Carter et al.', Anonymous Referee #1, 09 Apr 2015
- SC C359: 'Comment on the discussion of the mechanism of the formation of ice shelf channels', Anne Le Brocq, 09 Apr 2015
- RC C492: 'Impressive model results, but with potentially significant issues with model formulation and presentation', Jonathan Kingslake, 20 Apr 2015
- RC C741: 'Review', Martin Lüthi, 11 May 2015
- AC C1340: 'Author Comment on “Interactive comment on “Active lakes in Antarctica survive on a sedimentary substrate – Part I: Theory” by S. P. Carter et al.”', Sasha Carter, 30 Jul 2015
Viewed
HTML | XML | Total | BibTeX | EndNote | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1,482 | 449 | 201 | 2,132 | 78 | 115 |
- HTML: 1,482
- PDF: 449
- XML: 201
- Total: 2,132
- BibTeX: 78
- EndNote: 115
Cited
3 citations as recorded by crossref.
- Advances in modelling subglacial lakes and their interaction with the Antarctic ice sheet F. Pattyn et al. 10.1098/rsta.2014.0296
- Recent advances in understanding Antarctic subglacial lakes and hydrology M. Siegert et al. 10.1098/rsta.2014.0306
- A decade of progress in observing and modelling Antarctic subglacial water systems H. Fricker et al. 10.1098/rsta.2014.0294