Search

Antarctic ice shelves are losing mass at drastically different rates, primarily due to differing rates of oceanic heat supply to their bases. However, a generalized theory for the inflow of relatively warm water into ice shelf cavities is lacking. This study proposes such a theory based on a geostrophically constrained inflow, combined with a threshold bathymetric elevation, the Highest Unconnected isoBath (HUB), that obstructs warm water access to ice shelf grounding lines. This theory captures ∼ 90% of the variance in melt rates across a suite of idealized process‐oriented ocean/ice shelf simulations with quasi‐randomized geometries. Applied to observations of ice shelf geometries and offshore hydrography, the theory captures ∼80% of the variance in measured ice shelf melt rates. These findings provide a generalized theoretical framework for melt resulting from buoyancy‐driven warm water access to geometrically complex Antarctic ice shelf cavities. Plain Language Summary: The floating extensions of Antarctic glaciers ("ice shelves") are losing ice at drastically different rates. A large component of this ice loss is due to melting from below by relatively warm ocean waters, which typically lie hundreds of meters below the surface. Previous studies have attempted to predict ice shelf melt rates using knowledge of the interface between the ice and the ocean. However, these relationships struggle to capture the variations in melt rates around Antarctica, in part because they do not account for obstruction of warm water access by variations in the shae of the seafloor. In this study we introduce a theory for the rate at which warm waters access Antarctica's ice shelves, which indirectly predicts how much the ice shelf melts. This theory is grounded in the assumption that the ocean flow beneath cavities is dominated by the rotation of the earth, and utilizes a novel quantification of seafloor obstruction of warm water inflows. We show that this theory is successful at predicting melt in simulations of ice shelves of different shapes, and in observations of real ice shelves. This work provides a theoretical grounding for melt resulting from warm subsurface waters flowing underneath Antarctic ice shelves. Key Points: We introduce a new theoretical framework for inflow of warm water into ice shelf cavities based on geostrophically‐constrained circulationA new metric, the Highest Unconnected Isobath (HUB), quantifies bathymetric barriers to warm water access in complex geometriesOur HUB‐informed theoretical framework is able to accurately predict melt rates across a suite of idealized models and observational data [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific studies concentrated in Antarctica hold great value and importance for humanity. Research projects are conducted in various disciplines on the continent, where nearly 100 research stations from 30 countries are established. Despite the challenges posed by Antarctica's natural structure, unique environment, difficult working conditions, and limited logistics opportunities, scientific research conducted there is indispensable due to the valuable information it offers. In pursuit of accessing this information, Turkish Antarctic expeditions have been organized since 2017. In this study, a polar data center was established through a web-based geographic information system (WebGIS), a significant infrastructure for the continuity of scientific studies. The implemented projects and raw/processed data from previous expeditions in diverse subjects and disciplines, including geology, geophysics, geography, hydrology, meteorology, oceanography, glaciology, atmospheric physics, chemistry, microbiology, and remote sensing, were incorporated into this information system. Studies in Antarctica have primarily focused on observing the effects of global warming, necessitating the monitoring of past and current data related to sea ice, sea level, and coastal changes. The data also encompasses seismic, volcanic, tectonic, and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) monitoring. As suggested by the Antarctic Treaty, a user-friendly website was designed and made accessible for research projects, data, and publications. An entity relationship diagram was created for the fields to be included in the database. These fields were structured as tables using structured query language (SQL) queries in PgAdmin. A workspace and storage area were created in GeoServer, and a connection was established with PostGIS. Layers of spatial and nonspatial data from the PgAdmin application were added to the GeoServer workspace. The data transferred to GeoServer were presented in an OpenLayers web map with Web Map Service (WMS) and Web Feature Service (WFS) according to Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) standards. Additionally, a mini web map was designed using the desktop Quantum GIS (QGIS) application and GIS Cloud collaboration, displaying GNSS and meteorological (weather) observation stations on the continent. A dynamic web project was employed for coding in Eclipse software, where backend coding was done with JavaScript. SQL was used as a part of the backend to integrate data from the database per request. Frontend coding for the website's visual side was completed with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. As a result, a WebGIS platform was developed where researchers can register, add projects, and publications, and view data on a map. Users can download, analyze, and utilize the available data. The data center's existence underscores the importance of polar science and serves as an incentive for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]