A dynamic model of the Greenland ice sheet based on Newtonian fluid theory
ID:398
Poster Presentation
2027-01-15 18:30 (China Standard Time)
Session:Session 5 - Arctic Ocean: Physical Processes and their Effects on Climate and the Ecosystem
Abstract
Accelerating global sea-level rise highlights the need for accurate and efficient ice-sheet dynamics models. Conventional non-Newtonian models based on Glen’s flow law are limited by the strong spatial and temporal variability of ice viscosity. Here, focusing on the Greenland Ice Sheet, we develop a simplified Newtonian framework based on warm-ice rheology and multi-source satellite observations to investigate ice-flow dynamics and cross-scale turbulence. A 1-km-resolution Greenland ice-sheet dataset is constructed, and the scaled Navier-Stokes equations are reduced to a 2D linear equilibrium model balancing horizontal pressure gradients with an effective resistance term that represents basal friction, internal viscosity, and subglacial topography. The model reveals a scale-dependent turbulence regime in Greenland ice flow. The second-order structure function follows a 2/3 scaling over 3~500 km, while the third-order structure function changes sign near 120 km, indicating a transition from a forward cascade at smaller scales to an inverse cascade at larger scales. Three regimes are identified: topography-dominated scales (0.5~10 km), forward-cascade mesoscales (10~50 km), and Coriolis-controlled inverse-cascade large scales (300~1000 km). These results show that ice-sheet flow can be captured by a linear equilibrium model across broad spatial scales, while nonlinear advection and Coriolis effects remain essential for describing temporal evolution and complex dynamics. The framework provides a simple and physically based approach for modeling Greenland and Antarctic ice-sheet flows.
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Important Dates
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Jan 30
2026
Session / Event proposals open
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Mar 31
2026
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Apr 30
2026
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Apr 30
2026
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Jun 30
2026
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Aug 31
2026
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Sep 15
2026
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Oct 15
2026
Early bird registration closes
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Jan 12–15
2027
XMAS 2027
