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Changes in the Marine-Terminating Glaciers of Central East Greenland, 2000-2010, and Potential Connections to Ocean Circulation

Walsh, Kaitlin M.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306512126

Abstract Details

2011, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Geological Sciences.
Outlet glaciers and ice caps on the periphery of the Greenland Ice Sheet have been observed to be extremely sensitive to climate. The limited studies conducted on the marine-terminating glaciers of eastern Greenland’s Geikie Plateau and Blosseville Coast suggest exceptionally rapid rates of mass loss and short-term variability in ice dynamics. This study is targeted at a region of central east Greenland for which GRACE mass-anomaly observations show substantial recent mass-loss since its launch in March 2002. Additionally, glaciers in this region terminate into Denmark Straight, which is a thermodynamic transition zone between the Arctic and North Atlantic oceans. Extensive glacial change has been more pronounced through the Denmark Straight and south of the straight, which supports the hypothesis that ocean dynamics, specifically the Irminger Current and East Greenland Current, are supporting increased melt at the ice-ocean interface. It is possible that an appreciable amount of melt and ice loss south of Kangerdlugssuaq is occurring as a result of warmer subpolar water flowing into glacial fjords. We present changes to 38 marine-terminating glaciers as observed using Landsat-7 ETM+ imagery to develop a time series of changing front positions and flow speeds of these glaciers from 2000 to 2010. ASTER DEMs were used to quantify elevation change and thinning. Additionally, we examine sea surface temperatures at five sites along the east Greenland coast to identify possible correlations between warming of the sea surface and increased melt at the glacier termini.
Ian Howat, PhD (Advisor)
Bryan Mark, PhD (Committee Member)
Carolyn Merry, PhD (Committee Member)
74 p.
Earth; Geophysical; Remote Sensing
Greenland; glacier dynamics

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Walsh, K. M. (2011). Changes in the Marine-Terminating Glaciers of Central East Greenland, 2000-2010, and Potential Connections to Ocean Circulation [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306512126

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Walsh, Kaitlin. Changes in the Marine-Terminating Glaciers of Central East Greenland, 2000-2010, and Potential Connections to Ocean Circulation. 2011. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306512126.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Walsh, Kaitlin. "Changes in the Marine-Terminating Glaciers of Central East Greenland, 2000-2010, and Potential Connections to Ocean Circulation." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2011. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1306512126

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1306512126
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© 2011, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.