Patterns of glacier response to disintegration of the Larsen B ice shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

Glaciers that flowed into the former Larsen B ice shelf have responded to its March 2002 disintegration in different ways. The responses include prolonged front retreat, advance followed by retreat, and maintenance of a stable front position. Retreating glaciers initially accelerated and thinned dramatically, although the rate of change has since declined on at least one large glacier. Here, response patterns are documented and discussed in the context of tidewater glacier processes. The different responses observed around the Larsen B embayment demonstrate the importance of the three-dimensional, geographic setting when considering the response of outlet glaciers to perturbations at their downstream ends.