Iceberg Firn Temperatures, Antarctica

Summary

Since November of 2005, 12 thermistors were planted in the upper 2.5 meters of the firn on iceberg C16. Temperature data are collected every 20 minutes and are transmitted via ARGOS satellite relay. Data are intended to provide a view of how firn temperatures change as an iceberg moves north into warmer climate. Data are available in comma-delimited ASCII format. Data are available via FTP.

Citing These Data

The following example shows how to cite the use of this data set in a publication. For more information, see our Use and Copyright Web page.

MacAyeal, Douglas, Emile Okal, Richard Aster, and Jeremy Bassis. 2008. Giant Icebergs of the Ross Sea, in situ Drift and Weather Measurements, Antarctica. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5M61H55.

Overview Table

Category	Description
Data format	comma-delimited ASCII format
Spatial coverage and resolution	Southernmost Latitude:78 South Northernmost Latitude: 78 South Westernmost Longitude: 168 West Easternmost Longitude: 168 East
Temporal coverage and resolution	08 November 2005 to 31 June 2008
File size	2.2 megabytes
Parameter(s)	Parameters include iceberg drift, iceberg latitude and longitude, iceberg weather (AWS), ice shelf motion, ice shelf surface temperature, ice shelf weather, iceberg snow accumulation
Procedures for obtaining data	Available via FTP

Table of Contents

1. Contacts and Acknowledgments
2. Detailed Data Description
3. Data Access and Tools
4. Data Acquisition and Processing
5. References and Related Publications
6. Document Information

1. Contacts and Acknowledgments

Investigator(s)

Douglas MacAyeal
Department of Geophysical Sciences
University of Chicago
5734 S. Ellis Ave.
HGS 413
Chicago, Illinois 60637 USA

Olga Sergienko
Department of Geology
Portland State University
Portlan, Oregon, 97201 USA

Jonathan Thom
Space Science and Engineering Center
University of Wisconsin- Madison
Madison, Wisconsin 53706 USA

Technical Contact

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs (OPP) grant 0229546 awarded to D. MacAyeal.

2. Detailed Data Description

Format

comma-delimited ASCII format

File Size

2.2 megabytes

Spatial Coverage

Southernmost Latitude: 78 S
Northernmost Latitude: 78 S
Westernmost Longitude: 168 E
Easternmost Longitude: 168 E

Spatial Resolution

Variable, 12 thermistors over 2.5 meters of firn depth

Temporal Coverage

Variable, approximately one measurement per hour

Parameter or Variable

Parameters include iceberg drift, iceberg latitude and longitude, iceberg weather (AWS),
ice shelf motion, ice shelf surface temperature, ice shelf weather, iceberg snow accumulation

Sample Data Record

Year, month, day, hour, minute, second, temperatures at 12 depths,
starting with the shallowest (check by seeing which has more variability
due to surface temperature fluctuation).

Depth in meters
0.0700
0.1500
0.2200
0.3500
0.4500
0.5700
0.7000
0.8500
1.1000
1.4000
1.9000
2.5000

year	month	day	hour	minute	second	0.0700	0.1500	0.2200
2005	11	8	22	47	41	-1.242000e+01	-1.317000e+01	-1.311000e+01

0.3500	0.4500	0.5700	0.7000	0.8500	1.1000	1.4000	1.9000	2.5000
-1.333000e+01	-1.375000e+01	-1.366000e+01	-1.419000e+01	-1.480000e+01	-1.580000e+01	-1.685000e+01	-1.854000e+01	-2.352000e+01

3. Data Access and Tools

Data Access

Available via FTP

Volume

2.2 megabytes

Related Data Collections

• Continuous GPS (static) Data from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica
• Iceberg Harmonic Tremor Seismometer Data, Antarctica
• Ice Shelf Rift Time-Lapse Photography, Antarctica
• Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica

4. Data Acquisition and Processing

Sensor or Instrument Description

Campbell Scientific 107-L thermistors.

Data Acquisition Methods

Vertical spacing was maintained by placing the sensors in a 2 by 4 wood lumber post that was buried in a snow pit that was refilled with milled surface snow

5. References and Related Publications

Sergienko O.V, D.R. MacAyeal and J.E. Thom, 2008. Reconstruction of snow/firn thermal diffusivities from observedtemperature variation: application to iceberg C16, Ross Sea,Antarctica, 2004–07. Ann. Glaciol. 49, 91-95.

The following related documents are available on NSIDC's Web site.

Related Documents

Document	Description	URL
Continuous GPS (static) Data from the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica	related Iceberg data	http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0347.html
Iceberg Harmonic Tremor Seismometer Data, Antarctica	related Iceberg data	http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0349.html
Giant Icebergs of the Ross Sea, in situ Drift and Weather Measurements, Antarctica	related Iceberg data	http://nsidc.org/data/nsidc-0350.html

6. Document Information

Acronyms

The following acronyms are used in this document.

Acronyms and Abbreviations

Acronym	Description
FTP	File Transfer Protocol
NSIDC	National Snow and Ice Data Center
MB	Megabytes
URL	Uniform Resource Locator

Document Creation Date

November 2008

Document URL

http://nsidc.org/docs/agdc/nsidc0352_macayeal/index.html