Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1476
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1476
29 May 2024
 | 29 May 2024

Ice speed of a Greenlandic tidewater glacier modulated by tide, melt, and rain

Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk

Abstract. Ice discharge from the Greenland ice sheet is controlled by tidewater glacier flow speed, which shows significant variations in different timescales. Short-term speed variations are key to understanding the physical processes controlling glacial motion, but studies are sparse for Greenlandic tidewater glaciers, particularly near the calving front. Here, we present high-frequency ice speed measurements performed at 0.5–4 km from the front of Bowdoin Glacier, a tidewater glacier in northwestern Greenland. Three GPS (global positioning system) receivers were operated for several weeks in July of 2013–2017 and 2019. Horizontal ice speed varied over timescales of hours to days, including short-term speed-up events as well as diurnal and semidiurnal variations. Frequency analysis revealed that semidiurnal signals decay upglacier, whereas diurnal signals are consistently observed over the area of study. Speed-up events were associated with heavy rain, and longer-term variations were correlated with air temperature. Uplift of the glacier surface was observed during fast-flowing periods, suggesting basal separation due to elevated water pressure. These observations confirm the strong and immediate impact of melt/rainwater on subglacial water pressure and sliding speed. Tidally modulated ice speed peaks coincided with or slightly before low tide, which demonstrates the key role viscoelastic ice dynamics play in response to changing hydrostatic pressure acting on the glacier front. Our study results reveal details of short-term flow variations near the front of a Greenlandic tidewater glacier and provide insights into calving glacier dynamics. During melt season, ice speed is controlled by atmospheric conditions through meltwater production and rain events as commonly observed in alpine glaciers, but additional complexity arises from tidal influence near the calving front.

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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

31 Jan 2025
Ice speed of a Greenlandic tidewater glacier modulated by tide, melt, and rain
Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk
The Cryosphere, 19, 525–540, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-525-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-525-2025, 2025
Short summary
Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Jun 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Ralf Greve, 02 Jul 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on CC1', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Anonymous Referee #2, 09 Sep 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Anonymous Referee #1, 18 Jun 2024
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC1', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024
  • CC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Ralf Greve, 02 Jul 2024
    • AC3: 'Reply on CC1', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2024-1476', Anonymous Referee #2, 09 Sep 2024
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC2', Shin Sugiyama, 26 Sep 2024

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (02 Oct 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
AR by Shin Sugiyama on behalf of the Authors (08 Oct 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to revisions (further review by editor and referees) (15 Oct 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
ED: Referee Nomination & Report Request started (17 Oct 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
RR by Anonymous Referee #1 (08 Nov 2024)
RR by Anonymous Referee #2 (13 Nov 2024)
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (18 Nov 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
AR by Shin Sugiyama on behalf of the Authors (24 Nov 2024)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (28 Nov 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
ED: Publish subject to technical corrections (29 Nov 2024) by Wesley Van Wychen
AR by Shin Sugiyama on behalf of the Authors (30 Nov 2024)  Author's response   Manuscript 

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

31 Jan 2025
Ice speed of a Greenlandic tidewater glacier modulated by tide, melt, and rain
Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk
The Cryosphere, 19, 525–540, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-525-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-19-525-2025, 2025
Short summary
Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk
Shin Sugiyama, Shun Tsutaki, Daiki Sakakibara, Izumi Asaji, Ken Kondo, Yefan Wang, Evgeny Podolskiy, Guillaume Jouvet, and Martin Funk

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Short summary
We report flow speed variations near the front of a tidewater glacier in Greenland. Ice flow near the glacier front is crucial for the mass loss of the Greenland ice sheet, but in-situ data are hard to obtain. Our unique in-situ GPS data revealed fine details of short-term speed variations associated with melting, ocean tides, and rain. The results are important for understanding the response of tidewater glaciers to changing environments, such as warming, more frequent rain, and ice thinning.