Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding
Abstract Large subglacial lakes manifest themselves as flat regions on the ice surface. ERS-1 satellite radar altimetry of the Dome C region of East Antarctica was analyzed to correlate unusually flat areas on the ice surface with known locations of subglacial lakes identified from airborne radio-ec...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1998
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002214300000229x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002214300000229X |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s002214300000229x 2024-09-15T17:48:07+00:00 Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding Siegert, Martin J. Ridley, Jeffrey K. 1998 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002214300000229x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002214300000229X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 44, issue 146, page 1-8 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 journal-article 1998 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s002214300000229x 2024-07-24T04:02:42Z Abstract Large subglacial lakes manifest themselves as flat regions on the ice surface. ERS-1 satellite radar altimetry of the Dome C region of East Antarctica was analyzed to correlate unusually flat areas on the ice surface with known locations of subglacial lakes identified from airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) data. The mean length of subglacial lakes which have an expression in the ice-sheet surface was ~8.3 km, whilst those that did not exhibit a surface morphological manifestation had a mean length of ~3.3 km. Thus, lakes up to about 4 km in length arc unlikely to be detected from satellite radar altimetry of the ice surface. Given that the spacing of radio-echo flight tracks within the SPRI-NSF-TUD Antarctic database is 50-100 km in many areas, a number of subglacial lakes probably lie undetected beneath the ice sheet. RES information from two large, flat surface regions within Dome C, and a further flat area located at 80° S, 127° E, indicates the absence of subglacial lakes beneath the ice-surface features. However, these areas are characterised by relatively strong radio-echo returns which may indicate the presence of water-saturated basal sediments. We suggest that (1) blankets of water-saturated basal sediments may cause similar surface morphological features to those produced by subglacial lakes; and (2) misidentification of subglacial lakes from satellite altimeter observations of the ice-sheet surface is possible without the support of RES information relating to the ice-sheet base. Furthermore, our study indicates a lack of subglacial lake signals from RES data over relatively thick regions of East Antarctica such as the Adventure Subglacial Trough. We conclude that subglacial water produced in such regions may be transported by a basal hydrological system, driven by overburden pressure, to less thick regions of the ice sheet where subglacial lakes have been identified. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Journal of Glaciology 44 146 1 8 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Large subglacial lakes manifest themselves as flat regions on the ice surface. ERS-1 satellite radar altimetry of the Dome C region of East Antarctica was analyzed to correlate unusually flat areas on the ice surface with known locations of subglacial lakes identified from airborne radio-echo sounding (RES) data. The mean length of subglacial lakes which have an expression in the ice-sheet surface was ~8.3 km, whilst those that did not exhibit a surface morphological manifestation had a mean length of ~3.3 km. Thus, lakes up to about 4 km in length arc unlikely to be detected from satellite radar altimetry of the ice surface. Given that the spacing of radio-echo flight tracks within the SPRI-NSF-TUD Antarctic database is 50-100 km in many areas, a number of subglacial lakes probably lie undetected beneath the ice sheet. RES information from two large, flat surface regions within Dome C, and a further flat area located at 80° S, 127° E, indicates the absence of subglacial lakes beneath the ice-surface features. However, these areas are characterised by relatively strong radio-echo returns which may indicate the presence of water-saturated basal sediments. We suggest that (1) blankets of water-saturated basal sediments may cause similar surface morphological features to those produced by subglacial lakes; and (2) misidentification of subglacial lakes from satellite altimeter observations of the ice-sheet surface is possible without the support of RES information relating to the ice-sheet base. Furthermore, our study indicates a lack of subglacial lake signals from RES data over relatively thick regions of East Antarctica such as the Adventure Subglacial Trough. We conclude that subglacial water produced in such regions may be transported by a basal hydrological system, driven by overburden pressure, to less thick regions of the ice sheet where subglacial lakes have been identified. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Siegert, Martin J. Ridley, Jeffrey K. |
spellingShingle |
Siegert, Martin J. Ridley, Jeffrey K. Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
author_facet |
Siegert, Martin J. Ridley, Jeffrey K. |
author_sort |
Siegert, Martin J. |
title |
Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
title_short |
Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
title_full |
Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
title_fullStr |
Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
title_full_unstemmed |
Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
title_sort |
determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the dome c region of east antarctica using satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1998 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s002214300000229x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S002214300000229X |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 44, issue 146, page 1-8 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s002214300000229x |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
146 |
container_start_page |
1 |
op_container_end_page |
8 |
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1810289183184388096 |