The Settling of Firn at Little America III, Antarctica, 1940–58

Abstract Observations in the glaciological pit of Little America III (1939–41), carried out in March 1957 and in January 1958, are discussed. Of particular interest is the analysis of the settling of firn over a period of 17.6 years. The observed data, including those of Wade taken in 1940 and of Ho...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Glaciology
Main Author: Hoinkes, Herfried C.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1962
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000018256
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000018256
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Summary:Abstract Observations in the glaciological pit of Little America III (1939–41), carried out in March 1957 and in January 1958, are discussed. Of particular interest is the analysis of the settling of firn over a period of 17.6 years. The observed data, including those of Wade taken in 1940 and of Howard in 1947, were fitted best by a logarithmic expression, which proved useful as an interpolation formula. From the computed values of the rate of settling, and the observed density-depth relation, the average accumulation is calculated, using Sorge’s law. For the undisturbed period 1947–58 an average annual accumulation of 19 g./cm. 2 is found for Little America III (position in 1958 about lat. 78° 26′ S., long. 163° 52′ W.).