Pierre Dutrieux

Shelf Seas Group Leader

Biography

Pierre Dutrieux received his Ph.D in Oceanography from the University of Hawaii in 2009. His PhD work investigated tropical ocean circulation and dynamics with a particular focus on meso-scale eddy variability. Since then he directed his attention to the interaction between the oceans and the polar ice sheets, first at the British Antarctic Survey (BAS, until 2015), at the Polar Science Center, APL-UW, at the LAmont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University and now back at BAS.
Using pioneering autonomous platforms (Autosub 3) to roam under at least 300 m thick ice for tens of kilometers, his research demonstrated that warm waters >3° above the in situ freezing point reaches the grounding line (where the ice sheet comes afloat and eventually extends into an ice shelf) of Pine Island Glacier, in West Antarctica. This water efficiently melts the ice shelf, reduces its buttressing effect on the flow of grounded ice into the ocean, and is now shown to be a key driver of a wide-spread glacial acceleration and retreat in the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica, with important contributions to sea level rise, the freshwater budget of the Southern Ocean and possible impacts on the global thermohaline circulation and local primary production.
Using autonomous platforms, ship-borne ocean observations, ground-based and airborne radar observations, satellite observations and numerical modelling, Pierre further demonstrated that in this setting glacial melt is strongly modulated in time by remote climatic sources, and that the spatial distribution of melt is complex, varying at meters to kilometers scales, and carving and interacting with intriguing landscapes under the ice.

Developping new observational tools and integrating new understanding into predictive models, Pierre continues his work to shed light on the processes controlling the oceanic melting of glacial ice and its implications for the climate system.

Research interests

Collaborations

A more complete set of publications is available via Google Scholar and ORCID

ORCID iD icon orcid.org/0000-0002-8066-934X

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2025

Hoffman, Andrew O. , Conway, Howard, Anselin, Joséphine , Nicholls, Keith W. , Kingslake, Jonathan , Winberry, Paul , Koutnik, Michelle , Christianson, Knut , Dutrieux, Pierre . (2025) Discharge Promotes Melt and Formation of Submarine Ice‐Shelf Channels at the Beardmore Glacier Grounding Zone. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 130 (). 14 pp. doi:10.1029/2024JF007921

Selley, Heather L. , Hogg, Anna E., Davison, Benjamin J. , Dutrieux, Pierre , Slater, Thomas. (2025) Speed-up, slowdown, and redirection of ice flow on neighbouring ice streams in the Pope, Smith, and Kohler region of West Antarctica. The Cryosphere, 19 (). 14 pp. doi:10.5194/tc-19-1725-2025

Gourmelen, N. , Jakob, L. , Holland, P.R. , Dutrieux, P. , Goldberg, D., Bevan, S. , Luckman, A. , Malczyk, G.. (2025) The influence of subglacial lake discharge on Thwaites Glacier ice-shelf melting and grounding-line retreat. Nature Communications, 16 (). 12 pp. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-57417-1

2024

Caton Harrison, Thomas , Bracegirdle, Thomas J. , Davrinche, Cécile, Dutrieux, Pierre , Gilbert, Ella , Haigh, Michael , Jones, Julie M., Kent, Elizabeth C. , King, John , Lu, Hua , Price, Ruth , Schmidt, Christina, Vignon, Étienne, Wiener, Valentin. (2024) Advances and next steps in observing and modeling Antarctica’s coastal winds. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 105 (). 7 pp. https://doi.org/10.1175/BAMS-D-24-0247.1

De Rydt, Jan, Jourdain, Nicolas C., Nakayama, Yoshihiro, van Caspel, Mathias, Timmermann, Ralph, Mathiot, Pierre, Asay-Davis, Xylar S., Seroussi, Hélène, Dutrieux, Pierre , Galton-Fenzi, Ben, Holland, David, Reese, Ronja. (2024) Experimental design for the marine ice sheet and ocean model intercomparison project – phase 2 (MISOMIP2). Geoscientific Model Development, 17 (). pp. 10.5194/gmd-17-7105-2024

Joughin, Ian, Shapero, Daniel, Dutrieux, Pierre . (2024) Responses of the Pine Island and Thwaites Glaciers to Melt and Sliding Parameterizations. The Cryosphere, 18 (). 19 pp. 10.5194/tc-18-2583-2024

2023

O'Connor, Gemma K., Holland, Paul R. , Steig, Eric J., Dutrieux, Pierre , Hakim, Gregory J.. (2023) Characteristics and rarity of the strong 1940s westerly wind event over the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica. The Cryosphere, 17 (). pp. 10.5194/tc-17-4399-2023

Gómez‐Valdivia, Felipe , Holland, Paul , Siahaan, Antony, Dutrieux, Pierre , Young, Emma . (2023) Projected West Antarctic Ocean Warming Caused by an Expansion of the Ross Gyre. Geophysical Research Letters, 50 (). 11 pp. 10.1029/2023GL102978

Davison, Benjamin J., Hogg, Anna E., Rigby, Richard, Veldhuijsen, Sanne, van Wessem, Jan Melchior, van den Broeke, Michiel R., Holland, Paul R. , Selley, Heather L., Dutrieux, Pierre . (2023) Sea level rise from West Antarctic mass loss significantly modified by large snowfall anomalies. Nature Communications, 14 (). 13 pp. 10.1038/s41467-023-36990-3

2022

Silvano, Alessandro, Holland, Paul R. , Naughten, Kaitlin A. , Dragomir, Oana, Dutrieux, Pierre , Jenkins, Adrian, Si, Yidongfang, Stewart, Andrew L., Peña Molino, Beatriz, Janzing, Gregor W., Dotto, Tiago S., Naveira Garabato, Alberto C.. (2022) Baroclinic Ocean Response to Climate Forcing Regulates Decadal Variability of Ice‐Shelf Melting in the Amundsen Sea. Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (). 10 pp. 10.1029/2022GL100646

Holland, Paul R. , O'Connor, Gemma K., Bracegirdle, Thomas J. , Dutrieux, Pierre , Naughten, Kaitlin A. , Steig, Eric J., Schneider, David P., Jenkins, Adrian, Smith, James A. . (2022) Anthropogenic and internal drivers of wind changes over the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica, during the 20th and 21st centuries. The Cryosphere, 16 (). pp. 10.5194/tc-16-5085-2022

Davis, Peter E.D. , Jenkins, Adrian, Nicholls, Keith W. , Dutrieux, Pierre , Schröder, Michael, Janout, Markus A., Hellmer, Hartmut H., Templeton, Rob, McPhail, Stephen. (2022) Observations of Modified Warm Deep Water beneath Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, from an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127 (). 19 pp. 10.1029/2022JC019103

Bradley, A.T. , Bett, D.T. , Dutrieux, P. , De Rydt, J., Holland, P.R. . (2022) The influence of Pine Island Ice Shelf calving on basal melting. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127 (). 27 pp. 10.1029/2022JC018621

Bradley, Alexander T. , De Rydt, Jan, Bett, David T. , Dutrieux, Pierre , Holland, Paul R. . (2022) The ice dynamic and melting response of Pine Island Ice Shelf to calving. Annals of Glaciology, 63 (). 5 pp. 10.1017/aog.2023.24

Naughten, Kaitlin A. , Holland, Paul R. , Dutrieux, Pierre , Kimura, Satoshi, Bett, David T. , Jenkins, Adrian. (2022) Simulated twentieth-century ocean warming in the Amundsen Sea, West Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters, 49 (). 10 pp. 10.1029/2021GL094566

Jacobs, S.S., Giulivi, C.F., Dutrieux, P. . (2022) Persistent Ross Sea freshening from imbalance West Antarctic Ice Shelf melting. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 127 (). 19 pp. 10.1029/2021JC017808

Yang, H.W., Kim, T.-W., Dutrieux, Pierre , Wåhlin, A.K., Jenkins, Adrian, Ha, H.K., Kim, C.S., Cho, K.-H., Park, T., Lee, S.H., Cho, Y.-K.. (2022) Seasonal variability of ocean circulation near the Dotson Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Nature Communications, 13 (). 11 pp. 10.1038/s41467-022-28751-5

Yoon, Seung-Tae, Lee, Won Sang, Nam, SungHyun, Lee, Choon-Ki, Yun, Sukyoung, Heywood, Karen, Boehme, Lars, Zheng, Yixi, Lee, Inhee, Choi, Yeon, Jenkins, Adrian, Jin, Emilia Kyung, Larter, Robert , Wellner, Julia, Dutrieux, Pierre , Bradley, Alexander T. . (2022) Ice front retreat reconfigures meltwater-driven gyres modulating ocean heat delivery to an Antarctic ice shelf. Nature Communications, 13 (). 8 pp. 10.1038/s41467-022-27968-8

2021

Kim, Tae-Wan, Yang, Hee Won, Dutrieux, Pierre , Wåhlin, Anna K., Jenkins, Adrian, Kim, Yeong Gi, Ha, Ho Kyung, Kim, Chang-Sin, Cho, Kyoung-Ho, Park, Taewook, Park, Jisoo, Lee, SangHoon, Cho, Yang-Ki. (2021) Interannual Variation of Modified Circumpolar Deep Water in the Dotson-Getz Trough, West Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 126 (). pp. 10.1029/2021JC017491

Wearing, M.G., Stevens, L.A., Dutrieux, P. , Kingslake, J.. (2021) Ice‐shelf basal melt channels stabilized by secondary flow. Geophysical Research Letters, 48 (). 11 pp. 10.1029/2021GL094872

Joughin, I., Shapero, D., Dutrieux, P. , Smith, B.. (2021) Ocean-induced melt volume directly paces ice loss from Pine Island Glacier. Science Advances, 7 (). 9 pp. 10.1126/sciadv.abi5738

Arnscheidt, C.W., Marshall, J., Dutrieux, P. , Rye, C.D., Ramadhan, A.. (2021) On the settling depth of meltwater escaping from beneath Antarctic ice shelves. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 51 (). pp. 10.1175/JPO-D-20-0286.1

Joughin, Ian, Shapero, Daniel, Smith, Ben, Dutrieux, Pierre , Barham, Mark . (2021) Ice-shelf retreat drives recent Pine Island Glacier speedup. Science Advances, 7 (). 7 pp. 10.1126/sciadv.abg3080

Selley, Heather L., Hogg, Anna E., Cornford, Stephen, Dutrieux, Pierre , Shepherd, Andrew, Wuite, Jan, Floricioiu, Dana, Kusk, Anders, Nagler, Thomas, Gilbert, Lin, Slater, Thomas, Kim, Tae-Wan. (2021) Widespread increase in dynamic imbalance in the Getz region of Antarctica from 1994 to 2018. Nature Communications, 12 (). pp. 10.1038/s41467-021-21321-1

2020

Barker, Laughlin D.L., Jakuba, Michael V., Bowen, Andrew D., German, Christopher R., Maksym, Ted, Mayer, Larry, Boetius, Antje, Dutrieux, Pierre , Whitcomb, Louis L.. (2020) Scientific challenges and present capabilities in underwater robotic vehicle design and navigation for oceanographic exploration under-ice.. Remote Sensing, 12 (). 30 pp. 10.3390/RS12162588

2017

Naveira Garabato, Alberto C., Forryan, Alexander, Dutrieux, Pierre , Brannigan, Liam, Biddle, Louise C., Heywood, Karen J., Jenkins, Adrian , Firing, Yvonne L. , Kimura, Satoshi . (2017) Vigorous lateral export of the meltwater outflow from beneath an Antarctic ice shelf. Nature, 542 (). pp. doi:10.1038/nature20825

2016

Dutrieux, Pierre , Jenkins, Adrian , Nicholls, Keith W. . (2016) Ice-shelf basal morphology from an upward-looking multibeam system deployed from an autonomous underwater vehicle. In: Dowdeswell, J.A., Canals, M., Jakobsson, M., Todd, B.J., Dowdeswell, E.K., Hogan, K.A. (eds.). Atlas of submarine glacial landforms: modern, Quaternary and ancient, London, Geological Society of London, pp. (Geological Society Memoir, 46). doi:10.1144/M46.79

2014

Dutrieux, Pierre , Stewart, Craig, Jenkins, Adrian , Nicholls, Keith W. , Corr, Hugh F J., Rignot, Eric, Steffen, Konrad. (2014) Basal terraces on melting ice shelves. Geophysical Research Letters, 41 (). pp. doi:10.1002/2014GL060618

De Rydt, J., Holland, P.R. , Dutrieux, P. , Jenkins, A. . (2014) Geometric and oceanographic controls on melting beneath Pine Island Glacier. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 119 (). pp. 10.1002/2013JC009513

Thurnherr, A. M., Jacobs, S. S., Dutrieux, P. , Giulivi, C. F.. (2014) Export and circulation of ice cavity water in Pine Island Bay, West Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 119 (). pp. doi:10.1002/2013JC009307

Dutrieux, Pierre , De Rydt, Jan, Jenkins, Adrian , Holland, Paul R. , Ha, Ho Kyung, Lee, Sang Hoon, Steig, Eric J., Ding, Quinghua, Abrahamsen, E. Povl , Schroeder, Michael. (2014) Strong sensitivity of Pine Island ice-shelf melting to climactic variability. Science, 343 (). pp. 10.1126/science.1244341

2013

Dutrieux, P. , Vaughan, D.G. , Corr, H.F.J., Jenkins, A. , Holland, P.R. , Joughin, I., Fleming, A.H. . (2013) Pine Island Glacier ice shelf melt distributed at kilometre scales. The Cryosphere, 7 (). pp. 10.5194/tc-7-1543-2013

Graham, Alastair G. C., Dutrieux, Pierre , Vaughan, David G. , Nitsche, Frank O., Gyllencreutz, Richard, Greenwood, Sarah L., Larter, Robert D. , Jenkins, Adrian . (2013) Sea-bed corrugations beneath an Antarctic ice shelf revealed by autonomous underwater vehicle survey: Origin and implications for the history of Pine Island Glacier. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 118 (). pp. doi:10.1002/jgrf.20087

Jacobs, S., Giulivi, C., Dutrieux, P. , Rignot, E., Nitsche, F., Mouginot, J.. (2013) Getz Ice Shelf melting response to changes in ocean forcing. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 118 (). pp. doi:10.1002/jgrc.20298

2012

Vaughan, David G. , Corr, Hugh F. J., Bindschadler, Robert A., Dutrieux, Pierre , Gudmundsson, G. Hilmar , Jenkins, Adrian , Newman, Thomas, Vornberger, Patricia, Wingham, Duncan J.. (2012) Subglacial melt channels and fracture in the floating part of Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117 (). 10 pp. 10.1029/2012JF002360

Qu, Tangdong, Chiang, Tzu-Ling, Wu, Chau-Ron, Dutrieux, Pierre , Hu, Dunxin. (2012) Mindanao current/undercurrent in an eddy-resolving GCM. Journal of Geophysical Research, 117 (). 16 pp. 10.1029/2011JC007838

Tortell, Phillippe D., Long, Matthew C., Payne, Christopher D., Alderkamp, Anne-Carlijn, Dutrieux, Pierre , Arrigo, Kevin R.. (2012) Spatial distribution of pCO2, ΔO2/Ar and dimethylsulfide (DMS)in polynya waters and the sea ice zone of the Amundsen Sea, Antarctica. Deep Sea Research II, 71-76 (). pp. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2012.03.010

Jenkins, A. , Dutrieux, P. , Jacobs, S., McPhail, S., Perrett, J., Webb, A., White, D.. (2012) Autonomous underwater vehicle exploration of the ocean cavity beneath an Antarctic ice shelf. Oceanography, 25 (). pp. 10.5670/oceanog.2012.95

2011

Cravatte, Sophie, Ganachaud, Alexandre, Duong, Quoc-Phi, Kessler, William S., Eldin, Gérard, Dutrieux, Pierre . (2011) Observed circulation in the Solomon Sea from SADCP data. Progress in Oceanography, 88 (). pp. 10.1016/j.pocean.2010.12.015

Jacobs, Stanley S., Jenkins, Adrian , Giulivi, Claudia F., Dutrieux, Pierre . (2011) Stronger ocean circulation and increased melting under Pine Island Glacier ice shelf. Nature Geoscience, 4 (). pp. 10.1038/ngeo1188

2010

Jenkins, Adrian , Dutrieux, Pierre , Jacobs, Stanley S., McPhail, Stephen D., Perrett, James R., Webb, Andrew T., White, David. (2010) Observations beneath Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica and implications for its retreat. Nature Geoscience, 3 (). pp. doi:10.1038/ngeo890

Ascani, François, Firing, Eric, Dutrieux, Pierre , McCreary, Julian P., Ishida, Akio. (2010) Deep equatorial ocean circulation induced by a forced- dissipated Yanai beam. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 40 (). pp. 10.1175/2010JPO4356.1

Slemons, Lia O., Murray, James W., Resing, Joseph, Paul, Barbara, Dutrieux, Pierre . (2010) Western Pacific coastal sources of iron, manganese, and aluminum to the Equatorial Undercurrent. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 24 (). 16 pp. 10.1029/2009GB003693

Timmermann, R., Le Brocq, A., Deen, Tara, Domack, E., Dutrieux, Pierre , Galton-Fenzi, B., Hellmer, H., Humbert, A., Jansen, D., Jenkins, Adrian , Lambrecht, A., Makinson, Keith , Niederjasper, F., Nitsche, F., Nøst, O.A., Smedsrud, L.H., Smith, W.H.F.. (2010) A consistent data set of Antarctic ice sheet topography, cavity geometry, and global bathymetry. Earth System Science Data, 2 (). pp. 10.5194/essdd-3-231-2010

2009

Small, R. Justin, Richards, Kelvin J., Xie, Shang-Ping, Dutrieux, Pierre , Miyama, Toru. (2009) Damping of tropical instability waves caused by the action of surface currents on stress. Journal of Geophysical Research, 114 (). 17 pp. 10.1029/2008JC005147

Kashino, Yuji, Espana, Norievill, Syamsudin, Fadli, Richards, Kelvin J., Jensen, Tommy, Dutrieux, Pierre , Ishida, Akio. (2009) Observations of the North Equatorial Current, Mindanao Current and Kuroshio current system during the 2006/07 El Nino and 2007/08 La Nina. Journal of Oceanography, 65 (). pp. 10.1007/s10872-009-0030-z

Bonnet, Sophie, Biegala, Isabelle C., Dutrieux, Pierre , Slemons, Lia O., Capone, Douglas G.. (2009) Nitrogen fixation in the western equatorial Pacific: Rates, diazotrophic cyanobacterial size class distribution, and biogeochemical significance. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, 23 (). 13 pp. 10.1029/2008GB003439

Pierre Dutrieux

Team

General enquiries

Pierre Dutrieux

Biography

Research interests

Collaborations

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2017

2016

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2025

2023

2021

2014

2010

Research outputs

Pierre Dutrieux

Team

General enquiries

Pierre Dutrieux

Biography

Research interests

Collaborations

Publications from NERC Open Research Archive

2025

2024

2023

2022

2021

2020

2017

2016

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2009

2025

2023

2021

2014

2010