24th Pacific Science Congress (PSC-24)

The polar ice sheets are the primary contributors to global sea level rise. However, significant uncertainties persist in understanding its behavior, largely due to the unknown conditions beneath the ice sheet. Among these uncertainties, basal heat flow and sliding conditions play a critical role in controlling the rate and spatial patterns of ice flow. Yet, it remains challenging to obtain accurate data and formulate reliable equations for basal conditions, leading to large uncertainties in modeling the evolution of ice sheets. In this study, we use the Community Ice Sheet Model to simulate the polar ice sheets, incorporating various basal heat flow datasets and different forms of basal sliding laws. Our results indicate that the interaction between basal heat flow and basal sliding is a crucial factor influencing the dynamic stability of the polar ice sheets. These findings highlight the need for further investigation into the basal dynamics of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets to improve the accuracy of future projections.

SLR; ice sheet; model