Analysis of Flow Velocity and Surface Structure Over Northern Larsen Ice Shelf Using Time Series Satellite Images

Abstract

The Antarctic ice shelves play a significant role in stabilizing the grounded ice sheet. The collapses of the northern Larsen Ice shelf in the context of global warming highlighted the importance of understanding the relationship between flow dynamics and stability of ice shelves. This study investigated the ice velocity changes of the northern Larsen Ice Shelf as well as its relationship with the distribution of surface structural features using Landsat images acquired in the late 1980s and the early 2000s. Flow accelerations occurred on the Larsen B Ice Shelf, which are found to be closely related to the presence of structural features like melting ponds, rifts and crevasses.