2007), A two-dimensional coupled model for ice shelf – ocean interaction

A simplified coupled model of ice shelf-ocean interaction including an evolving ice shelf is presented. This model is well suited to climate simulation, as it is computationally inexpensive and capable of handling significant changes to the shape of the sub-ice shelf cavity as the shelf profile evolves. Application of the model will initially focus on mass balance and long term stability of ice shelves. The ocean component is based on the Hellmer and Olbers (1989) model, which uses a two-dimensional vertical overturning streamfunction to describe the thermohaline circulation under a static ice shelf. In order to smoothly accommodate evolution of the ice shelf, the equations have been converted to a time-dependent terrain-following (sigma) vertical coordinate. The ocean is forced via salinity and (potential) temperature restoring along the open boundary at the ice front. The ice shelf component is a model for the flow of a confined ice shelf of non-uniform thickness (Paterson, 1994), which consists of equations for longitudinal spreading rate and velocity. Following Holland (2002),the advection of shelf thickness has been modified to include separate marine and meteoric ice layers. The ice shelf is forced b