How do Greenland’s coastal mountains affect the formation of Arctic icebergs?

Greenland’s coastal mountains play a critical role in the formation and physical characteristics of Arctic icebergs by acting as a conduit for the Greenland Ice Sheet.12

The mountains influence iceberg formation in the following ways:

• Glacial Funneling: Many fast-flowing glaciers are funneled through gaps in the coastal mountain chain. As these glaciers move, the irregularity of the bedrock and the topography of the valley walls create stresses that cause the ice to fracture and form crevasses, which are then incorporated into the structure of the resulting icebergs.1
• Containment and Grounding: When glaciers calve into fjords, the coastal mountains often define the narrow geometry of these inlets. If an iceberg’s draft is deeper than the submerged sill at the mouth of a fjord, the berg may become trapped. These grounded icebergs can remain in the fjord for long periods, where they undergo shape changes due to differential melting rates at varying depths.1
• Structural Integrity: Because of the stresses imposed by the mountain-constrained terrain, Arctic icebergs often contain inherent planes of weakness, making them more prone to further fracturing compared to their Antarctic counterparts.1