Mass, Volume and Velocity of the Antarctic Ice Sheet: Present-Day Changes and Error Effects

Publikation: Beitrag in FachzeitschriftForschungsartikelBeigetragenBegutachtung

Beitragende

  • A. Groh - , Professur für Geodätische Erdsystemforschung (Autor:in)
  • H. Ewert - , Professur für Geodätische Erdsystemforschung (Autor:in)
  • R. Rosenau - , Professur für Geodätische Erdsystemforschung (Autor:in)
  • E. Fagiolini - , Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences (Autor:in)
  • C. Gruber - , Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences (Autor:in)
  • Dana Floricioiu - , Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) Standort Oberpfaffenhofen (Autor:in)
  • W. Abdel Jaber - , Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) Standort Oberpfaffenhofen (Autor:in)
  • S. Linow - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Autor:in)
  • F. Flechtner - , Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences (Autor:in)
  • M. Eineder - , Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt e.V. (DLR) Standort Oberpfaffenhofen (Autor:in)
  • W. Dierking - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Autor:in)
  • R. Dietrich - , Professur für Geodätische Erdsystemforschung (Autor:in)

Abstract

This study examines present-day changes of the Antarctic ice sheet (AIS) by means of different data sets. We make use of monthly gravity field solutions acquired by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) to study mass changes of the AIS for a 10-year period. In addition to ‘standard’ solutions of release 05, solutions based on radial base functions were used. Both solutions reveal an increased mass loss in recent years. For a 6-year period surface-height changes were inferred from laser altimetry data provided by the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat). The basin-scale volume trends were converted into mass changes and were compared with the GRACE estimates for the same period. Focussing on the Thwaites Glacier, Landsat optical imagery was utilised to determine ice-flow velocities for a period of more than two decades. This data set was extended by means of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from the TerraSAR-X mission, revealing an accelerated ice flow of all parts of the glacier. ICESat data over the Thwaites Glacier were complemented by digital elevation models inferred from TanDEM-X data. This extended data set exhibits an increased surface lowering in recent times. Passive microwave remote sensing data prove the long-term stability of the accumulation rates in a low accumulation zone in East Antarctica over several decades. Finally, we discuss the main error sources of present-day mass-balance estimates: the glacial isostatic adjustment effect for GRACE as well as the biases between laser operational periods and the volume–mass conversion for ICESat.

Details

OriginalspracheEnglisch
Seiten (von - bis)1481-1505
Fachzeitschrift Surveys in geophysics : an international review journal of geophysics and planetary sciences
Jahrgang35
Ausgabenummer6
PublikationsstatusVeröffentlicht - 1 Nov. 2014
Peer-Review-StatusJa

Externe IDs

Scopus 84927123280

Schlagworte

DFG-Fachsystematik nach Fachkollegium

Fächergruppen, Lehr- und Forschungsbereiche, Fachgebiete nach Destatis

Bibliotheksschlagworte