Antarctic subglacial flux: a driver of climate sensitivity on coastal margins

Climate warming is increasing glacial melt on the Antarctic continent, in turn shifting hydrostatic pressure on subglacial and surface lakes. This has a direct impact on the rates ofgroundwater discharge, with feedbacks to local and regional ocean and climate dynamics, as well as ice sheet retreat rates. The magnitude and diversity of Antarctic subglacial flux and its interaction with the marine realm is currently unknown, yet it may be critical to projecting hydrologic dynamics and the fate of coastal ecosystems in the Ross Sea under future climate change scenarios. Here, we report the first holistic quantification of the magnitude, composition, and impact of subglacial fluxes documented in the Antarctic region. With extensive water column, sediment, and ecological sampling we have explored the magnitude, biogeochemical composition, and temporal variability of subglacial water and dissolved constituent fluxes in the Ross Sea. We will highlight initial findings from this research, including the magnitude and spatial variability of subglacial fluxes from the Victoria Land coast, and the sphere of influence of these fluids on the coastal marine ecosystem in the Ross Sea.  We will place discoveries to date in the context of this emerging field, including incorporation into ice sheet and oceanographic models of the region. With this, we provide the first direct evidence of land-sea connectivity in the Ross Sea coastal environment through submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and establish a critical baseline for measuring and predicting future change.