Katabatic and foehn winds control the distribution of supraglacial lakes in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica
Mahagaonkar, A.; Moholdt, G.; Glaude, Q.; Schuler, T.V. (2025). Katabatic and foehn winds control the distribution of supraglacial lakes in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 666: 119482. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2025.119482
In: Earth and Planetary Science Letters. Elsevier: Amsterdam. ISSN 0012-821X; e-ISSN 1385-013X, more
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| Author keywords |
Foehn winds;Katabatic winds;Antarctica;Ice shelves;Supraglacial lakes;Drivers;surface mass-balance;mcmurdo dry valleys;terra-nova bay;c ice shelf;east antarctica;model;climate;melt;stratigraphy;accumulation |
| Authors | | Top |
- Mahagaonkar, A.
- Moholdt, G.
- Glaude, Q., more
- Schuler, T.V.
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| Abstract |
Meltwater ponding along the margins of Antarctica poses a threat to ice shelf stability, increasing the risk of accelerated inland ice mass loss. Understanding the key drivers of supraglacial lake formation is therefore essential for assessing the vulnerability and future stability of Antarctic ice shelves. In this study, we combine high-resolution simulation from the regional climate model Mode`le Atmospherique Regional (MAR) with satellitederived records of supraglacial lakes in coastal Dronning Maud Land to investigate the role of topographic downslope winds on spatial lake distribution. We find that persistent katabatic winds and episodic foehn winds are key controls on the observed regional patterns of lakes. Katabatic winds, most persistent in eastern Dronning Maud Land, exert a sustained impact near grounding zones through snow erosion, scouring and sublimation. Foehn winds predominantly affect ice shelves on the lee (western) side of large ice rises and promontories, causing considerable surface warming. While these downslope winds directly contribute to surface melt and ponding during summer, they also precondition the surface year-round through wind-driven warming and sublimation. Statistical analysis of downslope wind exposure further allows us to identify other Antarctic ice shelves that may become vulnerable to future ponding as firn retention capacity is diminished. |
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