Eric Rignot
Papers
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Total Citations
13
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About
Eric Rignot is a pioneering glaciologist whose research has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of ice sheet dynamics and their contribution to sea-level rise. His work centers on the interaction between ice sheets and the ocean, particularly the role of warm ocean currents in driving rapid ice melt from below. Rignot is best known for his landmark contributions to measuring ice sheet mass balance using satellite and airborne radar interferometry, which revealed that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are losing ice at an accelerating rate. His development of high-resolution ice velocity maps and ice shelf basal melt rates has been instrumental in identifying the mechanisms behind glacier acceleration and grounding line retreat. With over 100,000 citations, his papers are foundational in climate science. Notably, his 2025 work on circumpolar gravity anomalies produced a revolutionary bathymetric map of Antarctic continental shelves and ice shelf cavities, demonstrating how seafloor topography controls the intrusion of warm Circumpolar Deep Water—a critical factor in predicting future ice loss and sea-level rise. Rignot is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a recipient of numerous awards, including the NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal.
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