Rapid response of Helheim Glacier in Greenland to climate variability over the past century

Camilla Snowman Andresen; Fiammetta Straneo; Mads Hvid Ribergaard; Anders Anker Bjørk; Thorbjørn Joest Andersen; Anton Kuijpers; Niels Nørgaard-Pedersen; Kurt H. Kjær; Frands Schjøth; Kaarine Weckstrøm; Andreas P. Ahlstrøm

doi:10.1038/NGEO1349

Rapid response of Helheim Glacier in Greenland to climate variability over the past century

Camilla Snowman Andresen, Fiammetta Straneo, Mads Hvid Ribergaard, Anders Anker Bjørk, Thorbjørn Joest Andersen, Anton Kuijpers, Niels Nørgaard-Pedersen, Kurt H. Kjær, Frands Schjøth, Kaarine Weckstrøm, Andreas P. Ahlstrøm

Geology

93 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

During the early 2000s the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced the largest ice-mass loss of the instrumental record, largely as a result of the acceleration, thinning and retreat of large outlet glaciers in West and southeast Greenland. The quasi-simultaneous change in the glciers suggests a common climate forcing. Increasing air and ocean temperatures have been indicated as potential triggers. Here, we present a record of calving activity of Helheim Glacier, East Greenland, that extends back to about AD1890, based on an analysis of sedimentary deposits from Sermilik Fjord, where Helheim Glacier terminates. Specifically, we use the annual deposition of sand grains as a proxy for iceberg discharge. Our record reveals large fluctuations in calving rates, but the present high rate was reproduced only in the 1930s. A comparison with climate indices indicates that high calving activity coincides with a relatively strong influence of Atlantic water and a lower influence of polar water on the shelf off Greenland, as well as with warm summers and the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Our analysis provides evidence that Helheim Glacier responds to short-term fluctuations of large-scale oceanic and atmospheric conditions, on timescales of 3- 10 years.

Original language	English
Journal	Nature Geoscience
Volume	5
Pages (from-to)	37-41
Number of pages	5
ISSN	1752-0894
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/NGEO1349
Publication status	Published - Jan 2012

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title = "Rapid response of Helheim Glacier in Greenland to climate variability over the past century",

abstract = "During the early 2000s the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced the largest ice-mass loss of the instrumental record, largely as a result of the acceleration, thinning and retreat of large outlet glaciers in West and southeast Greenland. The quasi-simultaneous change in the glciers suggests a common climate forcing. Increasing air and ocean temperatures have been indicated as potential triggers. Here, we present a record of calving activity of Helheim Glacier, East Greenland, that extends back to about AD1890, based on an analysis of sedimentary deposits from Sermilik Fjord, where Helheim Glacier terminates. Specifically, we use the annual deposition of sand grains as a proxy for iceberg discharge. Our record reveals large fluctuations in calving rates, but the present high rate was reproduced only in the 1930s. A comparison with climate indices indicates that high calving activity coincides with a relatively strong influence of Atlantic water and a lower influence of polar water on the shelf off Greenland, as well as with warm summers and the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Our analysis provides evidence that Helheim Glacier responds to short-term fluctuations of large-scale oceanic and atmospheric conditions, on timescales of 3- 10 years.",

author = "Andresen, {Camilla Snowman} and Fiammetta Straneo and Ribergaard, {Mads Hvid} and Bj{\o}rk, {Anders Anker} and Andersen, {Thorbj{\o}rn Joest} and Anton Kuijpers and Niels N{\o}rgaard-Pedersen and Kj{\ae}r, {Kurt H.} and Frands Schj{\o}th and Kaarine Weckstr{\o}m and Ahlstr{\o}m, {Andreas P.}",

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T1 - Rapid response of Helheim Glacier in Greenland to climate variability over the past century

AU - Andresen, Camilla Snowman

AU - Straneo, Fiammetta

AU - Ribergaard, Mads Hvid

AU - Bjørk, Anders Anker

AU - Andersen, Thorbjørn Joest

AU - Kuijpers, Anton

AU - Nørgaard-Pedersen, Niels

AU - Kjær, Kurt H.

AU - Schjøth, Frands

AU - Weckstrøm, Kaarine

AU - Ahlstrøm, Andreas P.

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N2 - During the early 2000s the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced the largest ice-mass loss of the instrumental record, largely as a result of the acceleration, thinning and retreat of large outlet glaciers in West and southeast Greenland. The quasi-simultaneous change in the glciers suggests a common climate forcing. Increasing air and ocean temperatures have been indicated as potential triggers. Here, we present a record of calving activity of Helheim Glacier, East Greenland, that extends back to about AD1890, based on an analysis of sedimentary deposits from Sermilik Fjord, where Helheim Glacier terminates. Specifically, we use the annual deposition of sand grains as a proxy for iceberg discharge. Our record reveals large fluctuations in calving rates, but the present high rate was reproduced only in the 1930s. A comparison with climate indices indicates that high calving activity coincides with a relatively strong influence of Atlantic water and a lower influence of polar water on the shelf off Greenland, as well as with warm summers and the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Our analysis provides evidence that Helheim Glacier responds to short-term fluctuations of large-scale oceanic and atmospheric conditions, on timescales of 3- 10 years.

AB - During the early 2000s the Greenland Ice Sheet experienced the largest ice-mass loss of the instrumental record, largely as a result of the acceleration, thinning and retreat of large outlet glaciers in West and southeast Greenland. The quasi-simultaneous change in the glciers suggests a common climate forcing. Increasing air and ocean temperatures have been indicated as potential triggers. Here, we present a record of calving activity of Helheim Glacier, East Greenland, that extends back to about AD1890, based on an analysis of sedimentary deposits from Sermilik Fjord, where Helheim Glacier terminates. Specifically, we use the annual deposition of sand grains as a proxy for iceberg discharge. Our record reveals large fluctuations in calving rates, but the present high rate was reproduced only in the 1930s. A comparison with climate indices indicates that high calving activity coincides with a relatively strong influence of Atlantic water and a lower influence of polar water on the shelf off Greenland, as well as with warm summers and the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Our analysis provides evidence that Helheim Glacier responds to short-term fluctuations of large-scale oceanic and atmospheric conditions, on timescales of 3- 10 years.

U2 - 10.1038/NGEO1349

DO - 10.1038/NGEO1349

M3 - Letter

SN - 1752-0894

VL - 5

SP - 37

EP - 41

JO - Nature Geoscience

JF - Nature Geoscience

ER -

Rapid response of Helheim Glacier in Greenland to climate variability over the past century

Abstract

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