Fluttuazioni delle fronti dei ghiacciai galleggianti durante il XX secolo in Antartide: evidenze di cambiamenti ambientali

Twentieth century behaviour of the ice fronts in Antarctica: environmental change evidence,

Abstract

A comparison of various documents, dated several years apart, has a the surficial ice discharge, the ice front fluctuation
and the iceberg calving flux of Victoria Land coast (Antarctica) during this century to be estimated. The Hells Gate and
McMurdo Sound ice shelves and the floating glaciers of Cape Adare have undergone a significant retreat since the
beginning of the 20th century. The different behaviour of these floating glaciers with respect to others has been
presumed to be due to increased energy available for meltwater production and to increased melting at the ice-ocean
interface related to Circumpolar Deep Water. A first estimate of the mass balance of glaciers that fringe the Victoria
Land Coast shows a significantly positive value, despite all the uncertainties of balance measurements.