Estuaries beneath ice sheets

Research Article| November 01, 2013 Estuaries beneath ice sheets Huw J. Horgan; Huw J. Horgan 1Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Richard B. Alley; Richard B. Alley 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Knut Christianson; Knut Christianson 3Department of Physics, St. Olaf College, 1500 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, Minnesota 55057, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert W. Jacobel; Robert W. Jacobel 3Department of Physics, St. Olaf College, 1500 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, Minnesota 55057, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Sridhar Anandakrishnan; Sridhar Anandakrishnan 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Atsuhiro Muto; Atsuhiro Muto 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Lucas H. Beem; Lucas H. Beem 4Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California–Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Matthew R. Siegfried Matthew R. Siegfried 5Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Huw J. Horgan 1Antarctic Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand Richard B. Alley 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Knut Christianson 3Department of Physics, St. Olaf College, 1500 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, Minnesota 55057, USA Robert W. Jacobel 3Department of Physics, St. Olaf College, 1500 St. Olaf Avenue, Northfield, Minnesota 55057, USA Sridhar Anandakrishnan 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Atsuhiro Muto 2Department of Geosciences and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802, USA Lucas H. Beem 4Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California–Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95064, USA Matthew R. Siegfried 5Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 17 Apr 2013 Revision Received: 19 Jun 2013 Accepted: 01 Jul 2013 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2013 Geological Society of America Geology (2013) 41 (11): 1159–1162. https://doi.org/10.1130/G34654.1 Article history Received: 17 Apr 2013 Revision Received: 19 Jun 2013 Accepted: 01 Jul 2013 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Huw J. Horgan, Richard B. Alley, Knut Christianson, Robert W. Jacobel, Sridhar Anandakrishnan, Atsuhiro Muto, Lucas H. Beem, Matthew R. Siegfried; Estuaries beneath ice sheets. Geology 2013;; 41 (11): 1159–1162. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G34654.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Interactions between subglacial hydrology and the ocean make the existence of estuaries at the grounding zones of ice sheets likely. Here we present geophysical observations of an estuary at the downstream end of the hydrologic system that links the active subglacial lakes beneath Whillans Ice Stream to the ocean beneath the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. This subglacial estuary consists of a hydropotential low upstream of the grounding zone, which is linked to the ocean by a hydropotential trough and a large subglacial channel. This subglacial channel, which is imaged using active source seismic methods, has an apparent width of 1 km and a maximum depth of 7 m. The hydropotential trough continues upstream of the grounding zone and results from an along-flow depression in surface elevations. Pressure differences along the trough axis are within a range that can be overcome by tidally induced processes, making the interaction of subglacial and ocean water likely. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.