Internal tsunamigenesis and ocean mixing driven by glacier calving in Antarctica

Michael P. Meredith, Mark E. Inall, J. Alexander Brearley, Tobias Ehmen, Katy Sheen, David Munday, Alison Cook, Katherine Retallick, Katrien Van Landeghem, Laura Gerrish, Amber Annett, Filipa Carvalho, Rhiannon Jones, Alberto C. Naveira Garabato, Christopher Y.S. Bull, Benjamin J. Wallis, Anna E. Hogg, James Scourse

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7 Citations (Scopus)
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Abstract

Ocean mixing around Antarctica exerts key influences on glacier dynamics and ice shelf retreats, sea ice, and marine productivity, thus affecting global sea level and climate. The conventional paradigm is that this is dominated by winds, tides, and buoyancy forcing. Direct observations from the Antarctic Peninsula demonstrate that glacier calving triggers internal tsunamis, the breaking of which drives vigorous mixing. Being widespread and frequent, these internal tsunamis are at least comparable to winds, and much more important than tides, in driving regional shelf mixing. They are likely relevant everywhere that marine-terminating glaciers calve, including Greenland and across the Arctic. Calving frequency may change with higher ocean temperatures, suggesting possible shifts to internal tsunamigenesis and mixing in a warming climate.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbereadd0720
Number of pages11
JournalScience Advances
Volume8
Issue number47
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Nov 2022

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