Abstract. The discovery of Antarctica's deepest subglacial trough
beneath the Denman Glacier, combined with high rates of basal melt at the
grounding line, has caused significant concern over its vulnerability to
retreat. Recent attention has therefore been focusing on understanding the
controls driving Denman Glacier's dynamic evolution. Here we consider the
Shackleton system, comprised of the Shackleton Ice Shelf, Denman Glacier,
and the adjacent Scott, Northcliff, Roscoe and Apfel glaciers, about which
almost nothing is known. We widen the context of previously observed dynamic
changes in the Denman Glacier to the wider region of the Shackleton system,
with a multi-decadal time frame and an improved biannual temporal frequency
of observations in the last 7 years (2015–2022). We integrate new
satellite observations of ice structure and airborne radar data with changes
in ice front position and ice flow velocities to investigate changes in the
system. Over the 60-year period of observation we find significant rift
propagation on the Shackleton Ice Shelf and Scott Glacier and notable
structural changes in the floating shear margins between the ice shelf and
the outlet glaciers, as well as features indicative of ice with elevated
salt concentration and brine infiltration in regions of the system. Over the
period 2017–2022 we observe a significant increase in ice flow speed (up to
50 %) on the floating part of Scott Glacier, coincident with small-scale
calving and rift propagation close to the ice front. We do not observe any
seasonal variation or significant change in ice flow speed across the rest
of the Shackleton system. Given the potential vulnerability of the system to
accelerating retreat into the overdeepened, potentially sediment-filled
bedrock trough, an improved understanding of the glaciological,
oceanographic and geological conditions in the Shackleton system are
required to improve the certainty of numerical model predictions, and we
identify a number of priorities for future research. With access to these
remote coastal regions a major challenge, coordinated internationally
collaborative efforts are required to quantify how much the Shackleton
region is likely to contribute to sea level rise in the coming centuries.