Ice Thickness and Surface Elevation, Southeastern Ross Embayment, West Antarctica

Data Contributors

BLANKENSHIP, DONALD D.
MORSE, DAVID L.
FINN, C. A.
BELL, R. E.
PETERS, M. E.
KEMPF, S. D.
HODGE, S. M.
STUDINGER, M.
BEHRENDT, J. C.
BROZENA, J. M.

Parameters

GLACIER ELEVATION/ICE SHEET ELEVATION
GLACIER THICKNESS/ICE SHEET THICKNESS
ICE DEPTH/THICKNESS
ICE SHEETS

Instruments

ALTIMETERS
RADAR : RADIO DETECTION AND RANGING
RADAR ECHO SOUNDERS

Ice surface elevation and ice thickness data are available for a portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The investigators utilized a laser altimeter and ice-penetrating radar mounted to a Twin Otter aircraft to survey the ice sheet. Ice surface elevations and ice thickness data, derived from laser altimetry and radar sounding results, are available in ASCII format via ftp.

These data are a result of the Corridor Aerogeophysics of the Southeastern Ross Transect Zone (CASERTZ) experiments of the 1990s. The CASERTZ geophysical surveys were aimed at understanding geological controls on ice streams of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, ultimately to help assess the potential for ice sheet collapse. Blankenship et al. (2001) used ice surface elevations and ice thicknesses (reported here) to calculate driving stresses across the ice sheet and thus to identify regions of rapid basal movement by ice streams.

Data Citation

Blankenship, D.D., D.L. Morse, C.A. Finn, R.E. Bell, M.E. Peters, S.D. Kempf, S.M. Hodge, M. Studinger, J.C. Behrendt, and J.M. Brozena. 2001. Geologic controls on the initiation of rapid basal motion for West Antarctic ice streams: A geophysical perspective including new airborne radar sounding and laser altimetry results. The West Antarctic Ice Sheet: Behavior and Environment. Antarctic Research Series 77: 105-121.

Sample Location Map