1. Consistent Seasonal Hydrography From Moorings at Northwest Greenland Glacier Fronts.
- Author
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Zahn, Marie J., Laidre, Kristin L., Simon, Malene, Stafford, Kathleen M., Wood, Michael, Willis, Josh K., Phillips, Elizabeth M., and Fenty, Ian
- Subjects
VERTICAL mixing (Earth sciences) ,ICE sheet thawing ,SEASONAL temperature variations ,SEA ice ,ICE sheets ,MELTWATER ,GLACIERS - Abstract
Greenland's marine‐terminating glaciers connect the ice sheet to the ocean and provide a critical boundary where heat, freshwater, and nutrient exchanges take place. Buoyant freshwater runoff from inland ice sheet melt is discharged at the base of marine‐terminating glaciers, forming vigorous upwelling plumes. It is understood that subglacial plumes modify waters near glacier fronts and increase submarine glacier melt by entraining warm ambient waters at depth. However, ocean observations along Greenland's coastal margins remain biased toward summer months which limits accurate estimation of ocean forcing on glacier retreat and acceleration. Here, we fill a key observational gap in northwest Greenland by describing seasonal hydrographic variation at glacier fronts in Melville Bay using in situ observations from moorings deployed year‐round, CTDs, and profiling floats. We evaluated local and remote forcing using remote sensing and reanalysis data products alongside a high‐resolution ocean model. Analysis of the year‐round hydrographic data revealed consistent above‐sill seasonality in temperature and salinity. The warmest, saltiest waters occurred in spring (April–May) and primed glaciers for enhanced submarine melt in summer when meltwater plumes entrain deep waters. Waters were coldest and freshest in early winter (November–December) after summer melt from sea ice, glacier ice, and icebergs provided cold freshwater along the shelf. Ocean variability was greatest in the summer and fall, coincident with increased freshwater runoff and large wind events before winter sea ice formation. Results increase our mechanistic understanding of Greenland ice‐ocean interactions and enable improvements in ocean model parameterization. Plain Language Summary: Many of Greenland's glaciers terminate in the ocean and form an important boundary between coastal waters and the ice sheet. During summer months, meltwater from the ice sheet flows out below glaciers that terminate in the ocean. The less‐dense meltwater rises to the surface as a plume, increasing near‐glacier ocean mixing and submarine glacier melt. Understanding processes at the glacier‐ocean interface, including how plumes modify nearshore waters, requires sustained observations near glacier termini. However, ocean measurements are largely taken during the summer and do not necessarily represent the total variability observed in the system. Here, we fill an important knowledge gap by presenting year‐round measurements of temperature and salinity near glacier fronts in Northwest Greenland. We found the warmest, saltiest waters in the spring and coldest, freshest waters in early winter at all sites. Warm waters in the spring prime deep glaciers for submarine melt during summer. Increased winds in the fall initiated vertical mixing in nearshore waters before winter sea ice created a surface barrier, stabilizing the water column. Results advance our understanding of the ocean's role in the acceleration and retreat of Greenland's glaciers, which is important for estimating large‐scale ocean circulation and Greenland's ice sheet mass loss. Key Points: Moored hydrographic observations at glacier fronts in NW Greenland revealed consistent above‐sill seasonality in temperature and salinityOcean temperatures reached a maximum in spring, priming deep glaciers for submarine melt during summerRemote forcing supplied the renewal of warm, salty water in the spring and local forcing controlled increased variability in the summer/fall [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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