Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica

Summary

Time series of tiltmeter observations (tilt about two horizontal axes in microradians) for a 34 day period on iceberg C16 while it was aground near Ross Island in late 2001 to early 2002. Data shows tilts associated with differential basal melting of the iceberg, tidal motion and short-term tilts induced by iceberg tremor phenomena triggered by collisions between B15A and C16. The sample rate was 5 seconds. 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, Young-Jin Kim, and Andrew Bliss. 2008. Iceberg Tiltmeter Measurements, Antarctica. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://dx.doi.org/10.7265/N5GF0RFF.

Overview Table

Category	Description
Data format	Comma-delimited ASCII format and Matlab *.mat files
Spatial coverage and resolution	Southernmost Latitude: 77 South Northernmost Latitude: 77 South Westernmost Longitude: 168 East Easternmost Longitude: 168 East 5 meter sensitivity, 100 meter overall accuracy
Temporal coverage and resolution	20 December, 2001 to 23 January 2002 - summer measurements only
File size	10 Megabytes
Parameter(s)	Parameters include iceberg tilt, iceberg time, 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

Young-Jin Kim
Department of Geophysical Sciences
University of Chicago
5734 S. Ellis Ave.
HGS 413
Chicago, Illinois 60637 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 .txt file

data_structure: columns - year, month, day, hour, minute, second,
y_tilt x_tilt y is considered "north", x is considered "east"

Units are microradians for tilt.

File Naming Convention

Files are named according to the following convention:

C16_tilt.txt

where:

File Naming Convention

Variable	Description
C16	Iceberg
tilt	measurement
.txt	file format

File Size

10 Megabytes

Spatial Coverage

Iceberg C16, Ross Sea, Antarctica

Southernmost Latitude: 77 South
Northernmost Latitude: 77 South
Westernmost Longitude: 168 East
Easternmost Longitude: 168 East

Spatial Resolution

5 meter sensitivity, 100 meter overall accuracy

Temporal Coverage

20 December 2001to 23 January 2002

Temporal Resolution

5 seconds

Parameter or Variable

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

Sample Data Record

Tilt units are microradians relative to initial arbitrary instrument level.

year	month	day	hour	minute	second	y-tilt (north)	x-tilt (east)
2001	12	20	16	3	30	-2.460000e+01	-5.456000e+01
2001	12	20	16	3	35	-2.325000e+01	-5.306000e+01
2001	12	20	16	3	40	-2.257000e+01	-5.222000e+01
2001	12	20	16	3	45	-2.223000e+01	-5.188000e+01
2001	12	20	16	3	50	-2.189000e+01	-5.155000e+01
2001	12	20	16	3	55	-2.172000e+01	-5.138000e+01
2001	12	20	16	4	0	-2.172000e+01	-5.138000e+01
2001	12	20	16	4	4	-2.274000e+01	-5.172000e+01
2001	12	20	16	4	10	-2.274000e+01	-5.289000e+01
2001	12	20	16	4	15	-2.291000e+01	-5.255000e+01

3. Data Access and Tools

Data Access

Available via FTP

Volume

10 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

4. Data Acquisition and Processing

Sensor or Instrument Description

Applied Geomechanics Model 701-2 platform tiltmeter logged with a CR10x data logger

Data Acquisition Methods

An Applied Geomechanics Model 701-2 platform tiltmeter was deployed on a 1 meter 4x4 inch post (with aluminum platform securely fitted to top of post) that was buried in a snow pit near the automatic weather station near the center of iceberg C16. This instrument reported tilt on two axes every 5 seconds and was logged with a CR10x data logger.

5. References and Related Publications

MacAyeal, D. R., M. H. Okal, J. E. Thom, K. M. Brunt, Y.-J. Kim and A. K. Bliss, 2008. Tabular iceberg collisions within the coastal regime. J. Glaciol. Vol 54, No. 185, pages 371-386.

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
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.

Table X. Acronyms and Abbreviations

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

Document Creation Date

December 2008

Document URL

http://nsidc.org/docs/agdc/nsidc0353_macayeal/index.html