High Geothermal Heat Flow, Basal Melt, and the Origin of Rapid Ice Flow in Central Greenland
Abstract
Age-depth relations from internal layering reveal a large region of rapid basal melting in Greenland. Melt is localized at the onset of rapid ice flow in the large ice stream that drains north off the summit dome and other areas in the northeast quadrant of the ice sheet. Locally, high melt rates indicate geothermal fluxes 15 to 30 times continental background. The southern limit of melt coincides with magnetic anomalies and topography that suggest a volcanic origin.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Dec 14, 2001
- Source ID
- 10.1126/science.1065370
Entities
People
- Ian Joughin
- J. M. Brozena
- Mark A Fahnestock
- Prasad Gogineni
- Waleed Abdalati
Organizations
- Jet Propulsion Laboratory
- United States Naval Research Laboratory
- University of Kansas
- University of Maryland