Flow Of Antarctic Ice Shelves Between Long. 29° E. And 44° W

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Orheim, Olav
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1979
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Filchner Ice Shelf; Prinsesse Ragnhild Kyst; Antarc*; Ice Sheet; Ice Shelf; Ice Shelves; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000015008; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000015008

This paper discusses the mass outflow and dynamics of a 3000 km long front of the Antarctic ice sheet—the coastline from Prinsesse Ragnhild Kyst to the Filchner Ice Shelf. Ice shelves, mostly 50–100 km wide, account for more than 95% of this coastline. Large mass losses by calving generally occur at intervals of several decades at any particular location, and usually involve shelf areas of 10-1000 km 2 . The mass loss by calving during the periods between the large calvings is insignificant, except where ice streams run directly into the sea without forming ice shelves. The latter sections account for 2% of the coastline in question and a similar part is made up of ice rises. Thus, with the exception of these short segments, the ice front advances systematically over time intervals of a few decades. Large calvings interrupting the advance can be recognized by significant change in shape and position of the ice front.