Subglacial discharge at tidewater glaciers revealed by seismic tremor
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Abstract
Subglacial discharge influences glacier basal motion and erodes and redeposits sediment. At tidewater glacier termini, discharge drives submarine terminus melting, affects fjord circulation, and is a central component of proglacial marine ecosystems. However, our present inability to track subglacial discharge and its variability significantly hinders our understanding of these processes. Here we report observations of hourly to seasonal variations in 1.5–10 Hz seismic tremor that strongly correlate with subglacial discharge but not with basal motion, weather, or discrete icequakes. Our data demonstrate that vigorous discharge occurs from tidewater glaciers during summer, in spite of fast basal motion that could limit the formation of subglacial conduits, and then abates during winter. Furthermore, tremor observations and a melt model demonstrate that drainage efficiency of tidewater glaciers evolves seasonally. Glaciohydraulic tremor provides a means by which to quantify subglacial discharge variations and offers a promising window into otherwise obscured glacierized environments.
Study Area
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Subglacial discharge at tidewater glaciers revealed by seismic tremor |
| Series title | Geophysical Research Letters |
| DOI | 10.1002/2015GL064590 |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 15 |
| Year Published | 2015 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Wiley |
| Contributing office(s) | Alaska Science Center Water |
| Description | 8 p. |
| First page | 6391 |
| Last page | 6398 |
| Country | Greenland, United States |
| State | Alaska |
| Other Geospatial | Columbia Glacier, Hubbard Glacier, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Mendenhall Glacier, Yahtse Glacier, Yakutat Glacier |
| Online Only (Y/N) | N |
| Additional Online Files (Y/N) | N |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |