Abstract
Numerical modelling of ice sheets and glaciers has become a useful tool in glaciological research. A model described here deals with the vertical mean ice velocity, is time dependent, computes bedrock adjustment and uses an empirical diagnostic relationship to derive the distribution of ice thickness in ice shelves. The rate of snowfall and ice/snow melt depends on the (prescribed) sea-level temperature, surface slope, elevation and distance to open water. The model is able to reproduce the major features of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. When it is run to a steady state for present climatic conditions, the main difference with the present ice sheet is that the shallow parts of the Weddell Sea become covered by grounded ice.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Mahaffy, M. A. W. J. geophys. Res. 81, 1059–1066 (1976).
Oerlemans, J. J. Climatol. 2, 1–11 (1982).
Birchfield, G. E., Weertman, J. & Lunde, A. T. Quat. Res. (in the press).
Pollard, D. Nature 296, 334–338 (1982).
Weertman, J. Nature, 261, 17–20 (1976).
Jenssen, D. J. Glaciol. 18, 373–390 (1977).
Budd, W. F., Jenssen, D. & Radok, U. Derived physical Characteristics of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (Publ. No. 18 of Department of Meteorology, University of Melbourne, 1970).
Nye, J. F. J. Glaciol. 3, 493–507 (1959).
Turcotte, D. L. Adv. Geophys. 51–86 (1979).
Atlas Antarktiki (Glawnoje Oeprawlenie geodezii i Kartografii MG, 1966).
Greischar, L. L. & Bentley, C. R. Nature 283, 651–654 (1980).
Manabe, S. & Stouffer, R. J. J. geophys. Res. 85, 5529–5554 (1980).
Oerlemans, J. & Vernekar, A. D. Contr. atmos. Phys. 54, 352–361 (1981).
Ambach, W. Polarforschung 42, 18–24 (1972).
Sugden, D. E. & Clapperton, C. M. Nature 286, 378–381 (1980).
Budd, W. F. & Smith, I. N. Annals Glaciol. (in the press).
Thomas, R. H. & Bentley, C. R. Quat. Res. 10, 150–170 (1978).
Oerlemans, J. Free Oscillations of Polar Ice Sheets, Preprint (University of Utrecht, 1982).
Budd, W. F. & McInnes, B. J. Hydr. Sci. Bull. 24, 95–104 (1979).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Oerlemans, J. A model of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. Nature 297, 550–553 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/297550a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/297550a0
This article is cited by
-
Jurassic greenhouse ice-sheet fluctuations sensitive to atmospheric CO2 dynamics
Nature Geoscience (2022)
-
Numerical simulation of Urumqi Glacier No. 1 in the eastern Tianshan, central Asia from 2005 to 2070
Chinese Science Bulletin (2012)
-
A retrospective look at coupled ice sheet–climate modeling
Climatic Change (2010)
-
Rapid disintegration of the Wordie Ice Shelf in response to atmospheric warming
Nature (1991)
-
Dynamic former ice sheets
Nature (1990)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.