1. Understanding Glacier Flow in Changing Times.
- Author
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Alley, Richard B., Fahnestock, Mark, and Joughin, Ian
- Subjects
- *
SEA level & the environment , *ICE sheets , *MELTWATER , *QUANTITATIVE research ,ANTARCTIC glaciers ,ANTARCTIC environmental conditions - Abstract
The article discusses the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment, which admitted that poorly characterized uncertainties have prevented a best estimate or upper bound on sea-level rise that has been catalyzed by accelerations in outland glaciers of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets. Research on the topic is presented chronologically, beginning with the discovery that surface meltwater can facilitate summer ice flow. The difficulty associated with accruing quantitative research is examined, and the ambiguity of the relationship between ice sheets and their underlying beds is highlighted.
- Published
- 2008
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