High Resolution Simulation of Dissolution Process under Sloping Ice-shelves in Saline Water

Abstract

Direct Numerical Simulation is performed to study the dissolution/melting process of sloping ice-shelves at fixed ambient salinity and temperature. A series of numerical simulations are carried out over various inclinations of the ice block with the horizontal direction. Both laminar and turbulent flows are simulated over shallower slopes. When the boundary layer is laminar, dissolution-rate varies along the slope-length, which decreases in the upslope direction. Dissolution rate is independent in the upslope direction when the boundary layer becomes turbulent. These results are geophysically relevant and can be developed further towards a better parametrisation scheme for the GCMs to estimate the ice-loss around Antarctica