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The foundations of the Patagonian icefields

Furst, Johannes J.
[1]; 
Farias-Barahona, David
[1]; 
Blindow, Norbert
[1]; 
Casassa, Gino
[2]; 
Gacitua, Guisella
[3]; 
Koppes, Michele
[4]; 
Lodolo, Emanuele
[5]; 
Millan, Romain
[6]; 
Minowa, Masahiro
[7]; 
Mouginot, Jeremie
[8]; 
Petlicki, Michal
[9]; 
Rignot, Eric
[10]; 
Rivera, Andres
[11]; 
Skvarca, Pedro
[12]; 
Stuefer, Martin
[13]; 
Sugiyama, Shin
[7]; 
Uribe, Jose
[9]; 
Zamora, Rodrigo
[9]; 
Braun, Matthias H.
[1]; 
Gillet-Chaulet, Fabien
[8]; 
Malz, Philipp
[1]; 
Meier, Wolfgang J. -H.
[1]; 
Schaefer, Marius
[14]
  • 1
    University of Erlangen Nuremberg
  • 2
    Universidad de Magallanes  
  • 3
    Danish Meteorological Institute DMI
  • 4
    University of British Columbia
  • 5
    Istituto Nazionale di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale
  • 6
    University of Copenhagen
  • 7
    Hokkaido University
  • 8
    Institut de Recherche pour le Developpement (IRD)
  • 9
    Ctr Estudios Cient
  • 10
    University of California System
  • 11
    Universidad de Chile
  • 12
    Glaciarium Glacier Interpret Ctr
  • 13
    University of Alaska System
  • 14
    Universidad Austral de Chile
DOI
Date Issued
2024-3-22
Type
ArtĆ­culo
Journal
Communications Earth and Environment
ISSN
2662-4435
Open Access
gold
Volume
5
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The two vast Patagonian icefields are a global hotspot for ice-loss. However, not much is known about the total ice volume they store - let alone its spatial distribution. One reason is that the abundant record of direct thickness measurements has never been systematically exploited. Here, this record is combined with remotely-sensed information on past ice thickness mapped from glacier retreat. Both datasets are incorporated in a state-of-the-art, mass-conservation approach to produce a well-informed map of the basal topography beneath the icefields. Its major asset is the reliability increase of thicknesses values along the many marine- and lake-terminating glaciers. For these, frontal ice-discharge is notably lower than previously reported. This finding implies that direct climatic control was more influential for past ice loss. We redact a total volume for both icefields in 2000 of 5351 km3. Despite the wealth of observations used in this assessment, relative volume uncertainties remain elevated. The Southern Patagonian Icefield likely stores around 10% more ice than previously believed, according to ice thickness estimates based on remote sensing and direct measurement-informed mapping of the sub-glacial topography.
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