Scientific study on the Thwaites Glacier

First author Dr Ole Zeising from the Department of Glaciology at the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), and colleagues present the first large-scale characterisation of the bed beneath Thwaites Glacier, which is losing ice rapidly and is considered especially vulnerable to retreat. Ole Zeising explains: "We show that the bed is highly heterogeneous and exerts a strong control on ice flow dynamics. In addition, we provide the first evidence of widespread subglacial water within highly porous, water-saturated sediments, occurring both in in bed depressions and on topographic highs. We also identify an active subglacial lake, previously inferred from satellite observations, and show that its water volume is substantially greater than earlier estimates.” The findings demonstrate that current models do not capture the full complexity of the subglacial environment, although water-bearing sediments and steep basal slopes strongly influence ice flow and glacier retreat.

Further information on the results of the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration (ITGC) can be found in the Behind-The-Paper Blog Post and on the project website.