The Contact of the Ross Ice Shelf with the Continental Ice Sheet, Antarctica

Abstract A profile of ice thickness along the 647 mile trail from Little America V to Byrd Station has been obtained from altimetric, seismic, and gravity measurements, and detailed studies made at the junction of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Marie Byrd Land plateau. The surface elevation profile clea...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Glaciology
Main Authors: Thiel, Edward, Ostenso, Ned A.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1961
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000027192
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000027192
Description
Summary:Abstract A profile of ice thickness along the 647 mile trail from Little America V to Byrd Station has been obtained from altimetric, seismic, and gravity measurements, and detailed studies made at the junction of the Ross Ice Shelf and the Marie Byrd Land plateau. The surface elevation profile clearly shows the depression characteristic of this contact. The thickness of the floating ice shelf has been determined from the elevations assuming hydrostatic equilibrium; for this purpose the accurately known density-depth relationship obtained from a deep borehole at Little America V was employed. The buried rock topography at the contact has been deduced from a seismic sounding and variations in the gravity anomaly. Movement studies over a 22 month period are presented, and the crevasse pattern of the contact is analyzed in terms of ice movement. Suggestions are given for traversing the region by vehicle.