Estimating spatio-temporal changes in front edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf in context of climate change using remote sensing based integrated approach

Abstract

Climate variability is thought to have an impact on the Ronne Ice Shelf (RIS), one of the largest ice shelf in Antarctica, located at the mouth of the Weddell Sea. However, investigations evaluating the impact of climate variability on the geometry (front edge) of this ice body have not yet been done. This study examines a spatial-temporal shift in the front edge of the Ronne Ice Shelf during the years 2004–2019 using an integrated approach based on remote sensing and climate data. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) satellite images have been used to study the changes in the ice shelf along transects drawn at a constant interval of 5 km throughout the 16-year period over the second half of the austral summer months (February to March). The study reveals that there has been net progradation of ∼20 km in the front edge of the ice shelf in the sector 2 between 2004 and 2019. This progradation in the ice shelf may be attributed to draining of upper ice streams to the RIS and the decrease in temperature. Thus, the present study establishes how a combination of the use of satellite imagery and statistics can effectively be used to comprehend and quantify changes in the variability of the front edge of the ice shelf.