S. Prasad Gogineni

Basal melt at NorthGRIP modeled from borehole, ice-core and radio-echo sounder observations

Abstract From temperature measurements down through the 3001 m deep borehole at the North Greenland Icecore Project (NorthGRIP) drill site, it is now clear that the ice at the base, 3080 m below the surface, is at the pressure-melting point. This is supported by the measurements on the ice core where the annual-layer thicknesses show there is bottom melting at the site and upstream from the borehole. Surface velocity measurements, internal radio-echo layers, borehole and ice-core data are used to constrain a time-dependent flow model simulating flow along the north-northwest-trending ice-ridge flow-line, leading to the NorthGRIP site. Also time-dependent melt rates along the flowline are calculated with a heat-flow model. The results show the geothermal heat flow varies from 50 to 200 mW m–2 along the 100km section of the modeled flowline. The melt rate at the NorthGRIP site is 0.75 cm a–1, but the deep ice in the NorthGRIP core originated 50 km upstream and has experienced melt rates as high as 1.1 cm a–1.

Radiostratigraphy and age structure of the Greenland Ice Sheet

Several decades of ice-penetrating radar surveys of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have observed numerous widespread internal reflections. Analysis of this radiostratigraphy has produced valuable insights into ice sheet dynamics and motivates additional mapping of these reflections. Here we present a comprehensive deep radiostratigraphy of the Greenland Ice Sheet from airborne deep ice-penetrating radar data collected over Greenland by The University of Kansas between 1993 and 2013. To map this radiostratigraphy efficiently, we developed new techniques for predicting reflection slope from the phase recorded by coherent radars. When integrated along track, these slope fields predict the radiostratigraphy and simplify semiautomatic reflection tracing. Core-intersecting reflections were dated using synchronized depth-age relationships for six deep ice cores. Additional reflections were dated by matching reflections between transects and by extending reflection-inferred depth-age relationships using the local effective vertical strain rate. The oldest reflections, dating to the Eemian period, are found mostly in the northern part of the ice sheet. Within the onset regions of several fast-flowing outlet glaciers and ice streams, reflections typically do not conform to the bed topography. Disrupted radiostratigraphy is also observed in a region north of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream that is not presently flowing rapidly. Dated reflections are used to generate a gridded age volume for most of the ice sheet and also to determine the depths of key climate transitions that were not observed directly. This radiostratigraphy provides a new constraint on the dynamics and history of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Key Points Phase information predicts reflection slope and simplifies reflection tracing Reflections can be dated away from ice cores using a simple ice flow model Radiostratigraphy is often disrupted near the onset of fast ice flow

Radar attenuation and temperature within the Greenland Ice Sheet

©2015. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. The flow of ice is temperature-dependent, but direct measurements of englacial temperature are sparse. The dielectric attenuation of radio waves through ice is also temperature-dependent, and radar sounding of ice sheets is sensitive to this attenuation. Here we estimate depth-averaged radar-attenuation rates within the Greenland Ice Sheet from airborne radar-sounding data and its associated radiostratigraphy. Using existing empirical relationships between temperature, chemistry, and radar attenuation, we then infer the depth-averaged englacial temperature. The dated radiostratigraphy permits a correction for the confounding effect of spatially varying ice chemistry. Where radar transects intersect boreholes, radar-inferred temperature is consistently higher than that measured directly. We attribute this discrepancy to the poorly recognized frequency dependence of the radar-attenuation rate and correct for this effect empirically, resulting in a robust relationship between radar-inferred and borehole-measured depth-averaged temperature. Radar-inferred englacial temperature is often lower than modern surface temperature and that of a steady state ice-sheet model, particularly in southern Greenland. This pattern suggests that past changes in surface boundary conditions (temperature and accumulation rate) affect the ice sheets present temperature structure over a much larger area than previously recognized. This radar-inferred temperature structure provides a new constraint for thermomechanical models of the Greenland Ice Sheet.

A synthesis of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet

The basal thermal state of an ice sheet (frozen or thawed) is an important control upon its evolution, dynamics and response to external forcings. However, this state can only be observed directly within sparse boreholes or inferred conclusively from the presence of subglacial lakes. Here we synthesize spatially extensive inferences of the basal thermal state of the Greenland Ice Sheet to better constrain this state. Existing inferences include outputs from the eight thermomechanical ice-flow models included in the SeaRISE effort. New remote-sensing inferences of the basal thermal state are derived from Holocene radiostratigraphy, modern surface velocity and MODIS imagery. Both thermomechanical modeling and remote inferences generally agree that the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream and large portions of the southwestern ice-drainage systems are thawed at the bed, whereas the bed beneath the central ice divides, particularly their west-facing slopes, is frozen. Elsewhere, there is poor agreement regarding the basal thermal state. Both models and remote inferences rarely represent the borehole-observed basal thermal state accurately near NorthGRIP and DYE-3. This synthesis identifies a large portion of the Greenland Ice Sheet (about one third by area) where additional observations would most improve knowledge of its overall basal thermal state.

Tracing the depth of the Holocene ice in North Greenland from radio-echo sounding data

Abstract Radio-echo sounding surveys over the Greenland ice sheet show clear, extensive internal layering, and comparisons with age–depth scales from deep ice cores allow for dating of the layering along the ice divide. We present one of the first attempts to extend the dated layers beyond the ice core drill sites by locating the depth of the Bølling–Allerød transition in >400 flight-lines using an automated fitting method. Results show that the transition is located in the upper one-third of the ice column in the central part of North Greenland, while the transition lowers towards the margin. This pattern mirrors the present surface accumulation, and also indicates that a substantial amount of pre-Holocene ice must be present in central North Greenland.

Holocene deceleration of the Greenland Ice Sheet

Keeping a stiff upper layer The interior of the Greenland Ice Sheet is growing thicker, in contrast to the thinning that is occurring at its edges. Why? MacGregor et al. conclude that more snow is accumulating and that the ice in the interior is flowing more slowly than it did thousands of years ago (see the Perspective by Hvidberg). During the last glacial period, higher rates of atmospheric dust deposition produced softer ice, which flowed more readily than cleaner ice. During most of the Holocene, though, atmospheric dust concentrations were lower, and the less-dusty ice that formed was stiffer, meaning it did not flow or thin so rapidly. Thus, the thickening seen today in the central regions of Greenland is partly a response to changes in ice rheology that occurred thousands of years ago. Science, this issue p. 590; see also p. 562 Stiffer ice means slower flow and less rapid thinning in the center of Greenland than in the past. [Also see Perspective by Hvidberg] Recent peripheral thinning of the Greenland Ice Sheet is partly offset by interior thickening and is overprinted on its poorly constrained Holocene evolution. On the basis of the ice sheet’s radiostratigraphy, ice flow in its interior is slower now than the average speed over the past nine millennia. Generally higher Holocene accumulation rates relative to modern estimates can only partially explain this millennial-scale deceleration. The ice sheet’s dynamic response to the decreasing proportion of softer ice from the last glacial period and the deglacial collapse of the ice bridge across Nares Strait also contributed to this pattern. Thus, recent interior thickening of the Greenland Ice Sheet is partly an ongoing dynamic response to the last deglaciation that is large enough to affect interpretation of its mass balance from altimetry.

Unusual surface morphology from digital elevation models of the Greenland Ice Sheet

In this study of the North Greenland ice sheet, we have used digital elevation models to investigate the topographic signatures of a large ice flow feature discovered in 1993 and a unique surface anomaly which we believe has not been observed previously. The small scale topography of the flow feature is revealed in striking detail in a high-pass filtered elevation model. Furthermore, ice penetrating radar show that the sub-stream bed is rough with undulation amplitude increasing downstream. The new feature consists of two large depressions in the ice sheet connected by a long curving trench. The low driving stresses in the region and the increased power of radio echo from the ice/bed interface over the feature clearly show presence of basal water. The shape of one of the two depressions and its location above a bedrock trough is indicative of a sub-glacial lake but we also see evidence suggesting that water transport through a basal hydrological system may be occurring.

Isochronous information in a Greenland ice sheet radio echo sounding data set

The evaluation of ice sheet models is one of the pressing problems in the study of ice sheet dynamics. Here we examine the question of how much isochronous information is contained within the publicly available Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) Greenland airborne radio echo soundings data set. We identify regions containing isochronous reflectors using automatic radio echo sounding processing (ARESP) algorithms. We find that isochronous reflectors are present within 36% of the CReSIS radio echo sounding englacial data by location and 41% by total number of data. Between 1000 and 3000 m in depth, isochronous reflectors are present along more than 50% of the data set flight path. Lower volumes of cold glacial period ice also correspond with more isochronous reflectors. We find good agreement between ARESP and continuity index results, providing confidence in these findings. Ice structure data sets, based on data identified here, will be of use in evaluating ice sheet simulations and the assessment of past rates of snow accumulation.

High-resolution radar mapping of internal layers at NGRIP

A major goal of NASAs Office of Earth Science Polar Program is to determine the mass balance of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. A key variable in assessing the mass balance of an ice sheet is accumulation rate. Currently, accumulation rate is determined from ice cores and pits. There are large uncertainties in existing accumulation rate maps derived from sparely distributed ice cores and pits. There is an urgent need for developing remote sensing techniques for determining the accumulation rate. A prototype Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) radar system has been developed for mapping internal layers from known volcanic events in the ice. The prototype system has been designed and developed using the latest RF technologies. The system was operated from 100 to 2000 MHz, for imaging the top 200 meters of ice with high resolution. We tested this system during the 1998 and 1999 surface experiments at the North GReenland Ice core Project (NGRIP) ice camp. Our results show that internal layers were successfully mapped with high resolution down to 200 m.