Observed latitudinal variations in erosion as a function of glacier dynamics

Area of Science:

• Earth Science
• Glaciology
• Geomorphology

Background:

• Glacial erosion is key to understanding climate change impacts on topography.
• Factors controlling glacial erosion rates remain poorly understood.
• Glaciers are thought to be highly erosive in tectonically active regions but minimal in high latitudes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically examine factors controlling glacier erosion across diverse climatic regimes.
• To investigate the relationship between climate, glacier dynamics, and erosion rates.

Main Methods:

• Collected data on ice fluxes, sliding speeds, and erosion rates from 15 outlet glaciers.
• Utilized sediment yields to infer erosion rates.
• Covered a latitudinal transect from Patagonia to the Antarctic Peninsula.

Main Results:

• Observed a three-order-of-magnitude variation in basin-averaged erosion rates across the latitudinal transect.
• Found that climate and glacier thermal regimes are dominant controls on erosion.
• Demonstrated that ice cover extent, ice flux, and sliding speeds have less influence.

Conclusions:

• Climate and glacier thermal regime are the most critical factors governing glacial erosion rates.
• Findings challenge previous assumptions about the primary drivers of glacial erosion.
• Provides an empirical basis for understanding glacial erosion in diverse environments.