The use of tiltmeters to study the dynamics of Antarctic ice-shelf grounding lines

Abstract

New tiltmeter data are presented from Doake Ice Rumples on Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Five sites which showed a tidal ice-shelf flexure have been analysed using an elastic beam model to investigate the variation of flexure amplitude with distance from the grounding line. An earlier study on Rutford Ice Stream which also used an elastic model required an ice thickness much less than that observed. Reworking the Rutford Ice Stream data suggests that this greatly reduced ice thickness is not required, given the current sparse data coverage. The elastic model is used to improve the estimated grounding-line position on Rutford Ice Stream. Some of the difficulties in modelling ice-shelf flexure and locating grounding lines are discussed.