Basal crevasses and associated surface crevassing on the Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctica, and their role in ice-shelf instability

Abstract

AbstractWe identify a series of basal crevasses along a 31 km transect across the northern sector of the Larsen C ice shelf, Antarctica, using in situ ground-penetrating radar. The basal crevasses propagate from a region of multiple, shallow basal fractures to form widely spaced (0.5–2.0 km) but deeply incised (70–134 m) features. Surface troughs, observed in visible imagery, exist above the basal crevasses as the ice vertically shears to reach hydrostatic equilibrium, while widespread surface crevassing occurs along the crests and on the flanks of the undulations, primarily aligned with the topography. We suggest, based on the location of the surface crevasses and the along-flow evolution of the basal crevasses, that the former are induced by a bending stress created by gradients in hydrostatic forces. Using a linear elastic fracture mechanics model, we investigate the sensitivity of basal crevasse propagation to observed trends of ice-shelf thinning and acceleration. Basal crevasses are large-scale structural weaknesses that can both control meltwater ponding and induce surface crevassing. Together, these features may represent an important mechanism in both past and future ice-shelf disintegration events on the Antarctic Peninsula.