Modelling ice surface and elevation changes in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica
Abstract
Ice sheets are an active component of Earth’s climate system, influencing the atmospheric and ocean circulations, in the past and today. Because they are projected to lose a significant amount of their mass in the upcoming centuries, this input of freshwater to the global oceans will have serious consequences regarding sea-level rise, affecting a significant share of the World’s population. Ice sheet models can predict sea-level rise, but need to be evaluated against empirical data of past changes to be sure that they represent ice sheet processes accurately. Here we use large-scale, idealised, and regional-scale model setups to understand the main climate drivers behind changes in Dronning Maud Land (East Antarctica) for periods that were both warmer and colder than present. When evaluating high-resolution model results against empirical data, it becomes clear that just as numerical models use data to validate their results, the interpretation of in-situ datasets can be improved with the aid of numerical models. In short, the results presented here are a push towards closer collaboration between numerical modellers and field scientists, who should work in tandem at all stages, from experimental design and sampling planning to interpretation of results.