Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

Andrew S. Hein; Shasta M. Marrero; John Woodward; Stuart A. Dunning; Kate Winter; Matthew J. Westoby; Stewart P.H.T. Freeman; Richard P. Shanks; David E. Sugden

doi:10.1038/ncomms12511

Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

Andrew S. Hein^*, Shasta M. Marrero, John Woodward, Stuart A. Dunning, Kate Winter, Matthew J. Westoby, Stewart P.H.T. Freeman, Richard P. Shanks, David E. Sugden

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences

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Abstract

AbstractEstablishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ∼400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

Original language	English
Number of pages	0
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	7
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms12511
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 22 Aug 2016

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@article{44708b2625d04ade9af5dac4df537a26,

title = "Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet",

abstract = "AbstractEstablishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ∼400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.",

author = "Hein, {Andrew S.} and Marrero, {Shasta M.} and John Woodward and Dunning, {Stuart A.} and Kate Winter and Westoby, {Matthew J.} and Freeman, {Stewart P.H.T.} and Shanks, {Richard P.} and Sugden, {David E.}",

year = "2016",

month = aug,

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doi = "10.1038/ncomms12511",

language = "English",

volume = "7",

journal = "Nature Communications",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

AU - Hein, Andrew S.

AU - Marrero, Shasta M.

AU - Woodward, John

AU - Dunning, Stuart A.

AU - Winter, Kate

AU - Westoby, Matthew J.

AU - Freeman, Stewart P.H.T.

AU - Shanks, Richard P.

AU - Sugden, David E.

PY - 2016/8/22

Y1 - 2016/8/22

N2 - AbstractEstablishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ∼400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

AB - AbstractEstablishing the trajectory of thinning of the West Antarctic ice sheet (WAIS) since the last glacial maximum (LGM) is important for addressing questions concerning ice sheet (in)stability and changes in global sea level. Here we present detailed geomorphological and cosmogenic nuclide data from the southern Ellsworth Mountains in the heart of the Weddell Sea embayment that suggest the ice sheet, nourished by increased snowfall until the early Holocene, was close to its LGM thickness at 10 ka. A pulse of rapid thinning caused the ice elevation to fall ∼400 m to the present level at 6.5–3.5 ka, and could have contributed 1.4–2 m to global sea-level rise. These results imply that the Weddell Sea sector of the WAIS contributed little to late-glacial pulses in sea-level rise but was involved in mid-Holocene rises. The stepped decline is argued to reflect marine downdraw triggered by grounding line retreat into Hercules Inlet.

U2 - 10.1038/ncomms12511

DO - 10.1038/ncomms12511

M3 - Article

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 7

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

ER -

Mid-Holocene pulse of thinning in the Weddell Sea sector of the West Antarctic ice sheet

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