Pan-Antarctic Assessment of Ice Shelf Flexural Responses to Ocean Waves

Abstract

Understanding the drivers of iceberg calving from Antarctic ice shelves is important for future sea level rise projections. Ocean waves promote calving by imposing stresses and strains on the shelves. Previous modeling studies of ice shelf responses to ocean waves have focused on highly idealized geometries with uniform ice thickness and a flat seabed. This study leverages on a recently developed mathematical model that incorporates spatially varying geometries, combined with measured ice shelf thickness and seabed profiles, to conduct a statistical assessment of how 15 Antarctic ice shelves respond to ocean waves over a broad range of relevant wave periods, from swell to infragravity waves ..