Modeling on the Steady State of Thwaites Glacier

Thwaites Glacier (TWG) is the second largest ice stream in West Antarctica in terms of ice discharge, and the broadest ice stream in Antarctica (120 km wide). Observations and theory suggest that its configuration is inherently unstable in a warming climate. Satellite observations have revealed grounding line retreat, ice thinning, ice stream broadening and in more recent years ice flow acceleration. The most important part of the glacier evolution involves its grounding line dynamics and the impact of ice-ocean interactions. In a region between the grounding line and the limit of the flexure zone, some 10 km downstream, however, the glacier is not in hydrostatic equilibrium. Proper treatment of the grounding line dynamics requires full Stokes solution. Here, we model the grounding line of TWG in 2D, full Stokes, with the goal to examine whether the glacier is in a steady state configuration or not. The model treats ice sheet and ice shelf as two fluids coupled through the ice mass flux (Nowicki, 2008). Water stress is used as a constraint on the ice shelf instead of hydrostatic equilibrium. We use radar interferometry (InSAR) measurements of ice velocity and grounding line position through time, Bedmap2 and IceBridge thickness, and surface mass balance from RACMO to constrain the model. The results are used to conclude on the state of dynamic balance of the glacier. This work is funded by NASA Cryospheric Science Program.