 |
| Titel |
Hydrologic controls on coastal suspended sediment plumes around the Greenland Ice Sheet |
| VerfasserIn |
V. W. Chu, L. C. Smith, A. K. Rennermalm, R. R. Forster, J. E. Box |
| Medientyp |
Artikel
|
| Sprache |
Englisch
|
| ISSN |
1994-0416
|
| Digitales Dokument |
URL |
| Erschienen |
In: The Cryosphere ; 6, no. 1 ; Nr. 6, no. 1 (2012-01-04), S.1-19 |
| Datensatznummer |
250003371
|
| Publikation (Nr.) |
 copernicus.org/tc-6-1-2012.pdf |
|
|
|
|
|
| Zusammenfassung |
| Rising sea levels and increased surface melting of the Greenland ice sheet
have heightened the need for direct observations of meltwater release from
the ice edge to ocean. Buoyant sediment plumes that develop in fjords
downstream of outlet glaciers are controlled by numerous factors, including
meltwater runoff. Here, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) satellite imagery is used to average surface suspended sediment
concentration (SSC) in fjords around ∼80% of Greenland from
2000–2009. Spatial and temporal patterns in SSC are compared with
positive-degree-days (PDD), a proxy for surface melting, from the Polar MM5
regional climate model. Over this decade significant geographic covariance
occurred between ice sheet PDD and fjord SSC, with outlet type (land- vs.
marine-terminating glaciers) also important. In general, high SSC is
associated with high PDD and/or a high proportion of land-terminating
glaciers. Unlike previous site-specific studies of the Watson River plume at
Kangerlussuaq, temporal covariance is low, suggesting that plume dimensions
best capture interannual runoff dynamics whereas SSC allows assessment of
meltwater signals across much broader fjord environments around the ice
sheet. Remote sensing of both plume characteristics thus offers a viable
approach for observing spatial and temporal patterns of meltwater release
from the Greenland ice sheet to the global ocean. |
| |
|
| Teil von |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|