Rapid deceleration in the ice-flow velocity of the Shirase Glacier ice tongue and its influence on the velocity field: Observations from Sentinel-1 C-SAR

Temporal and spatial variations in the ice-flow speed of Shirase Glacier ice tongue in East Antarctica between July 2018 and December 2021 were investigated using Sentinel-1 C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (C-SAR) imagery. We identified pronounced slowdown events in the eastern part of the outer ice tongue, 30–40 km from the grounding line in 2020 and 55 km in 2021. Comparison of ice thickness and bathymetry in areas where the deceleration events occurred suggests that the events were caused by icebergs grounding or landing on the seafloor. The absence of slowdown propagation towards the grounding line demonstrates the ice tongue offers very limited buttressing. This study contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing glacier dynamics, particularly in the context of grounding events and their localized impacts.