Abstract
Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behaviour of the Antarctic ice sheet. However, a key boundary parameter, sub-glacial heat flow, remains poorly constrained. We show that variations in abundance and distribution of heat-producing elements within the Antarctic continental crust result in greater and more variable regional sub-glacial heat flows than currently assumed in ice modelling studies. Such elevated heat flows would have a fundamental effect on ice sheet behaviour and highlight that geological controls on heat flow must be considered to obtain more accurate and refined predictions of ice mass balance and sea-level change. Supplementary materials: Heat flow and heat production definitions, heat production data, and details of the 2D model of the gross geometry of the continental lithosphere for a section through Prydz Bay are available at www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18690 .
Highlights
Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet
The East Antarctic continental crust is characterized by elevated geothermal heat flow that varies spatially on local and regional scales
Tectonic reconstructions provide a valid connection with documented high heat flow domains in southern Australia
Summary
Numerical models are the primary predictive tools for understanding the dynamic behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet. We suggest that for numerical ice sheet modelling simplified sub-glacial heat flow estimates that ignore the crustal contribution to surface heat flow, and its variability, may be inappropriate.
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