High geothermal heat flow, Basal melt, and the origin of rapid ice flow in central Greenland.

TitleHigh geothermal heat flow, Basal melt, and the origin of rapid ice flow in central Greenland.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2001
AuthorsFahnestock, M, Abdalati, W, Joughin, I, Brozena, J, Gogineni, P
JournalScience (New York, N.Y.)
Volume294
Pagination2338–42
Date Publisheddec
ISSN0036-8075
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.

URLhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11743197
DOI10.1126/science.1065370
PubMed ID11743197