Long-term evolution of the Sulzberger Ice Shelf, West Antarctica: Insights from 74-year observations and 2022 Hunga-Tonga volcanic tsunami-induced calving

Abstract

On January 15, 2022, the eruption of the Hunga-Tonga volcano unleashed a tsunami that rapidly traversed the Pacific Ocean, soon reaching the Sulzberger Ice Shelf (SIS), West Antarctica. In the aftermath, the West Sulzberger Ice Shelf (WSIS) experienced a significant calving event, shedding 106 km2 of ice and reducing its size to the smallest recorded since 1948. To investigate the potential association between this calving event and the tsunami, and to elucidate the long-term evolution of the WSIS, this study employed tide gage records and remote sensing data for an extensive cross-cycle observation spanning 74 years. The results indicate that post-2014, the WSIS exhibited heightened instabi..