Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica
Abstract Dry permafrost on Earth is unique to the Antarctic and is found in the upper elevations of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Despite its widespread presence in the Dry Valleys, the factors that control the distribution of dry permafrost and the ice-cemented ground below it are poorly understood. Her...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2008
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001508 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102008001508 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0954102008001508 2024-09-30T14:26:16+00:00 Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica McKay, Christopher P. 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001508 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102008001508 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Antarctic Science volume 21, issue 1, page 89-94 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 journal-article 2008 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001508 2024-09-04T04:04:07Z Abstract Dry permafrost on Earth is unique to the Antarctic and is found in the upper elevations of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Despite its widespread presence in the Dry Valleys, the factors that control the distribution of dry permafrost and the ice-cemented ground below it are poorly understood. Here I show, by a combination of theoretical analysis and field observations, that the recurrence of snow can explain the depth of dry permafrost and the location of ice-cemented ground in Antarctica. For data from Linnaeus Terrace at 1600–1650 m elevation in Upper Wright Valley a recurrence intervals of about two years explains the presence of ground ice at 25 cm depth, under 12.5 cm of dry permafrost. Snow recurrence periods longer than 10 years would create only dry permafrost at this site. The snow gradient in University Valley resulting from the windblown snow from the polar plateau creates a corresponding gradient in the depth to ice-cemented ground. On the floor of Beacon Valley, the presence of dry permafrost without underlying ice-cemented ground indicates snow recurrence intervals of more than 10 years and implies that the ancient massive ice in this valley is not stable. Snow recurrence may also set the depth to ground ice on Mars. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost Cambridge University Press Antarctic The Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Wright Valley ENVELOPE(161.833,161.833,-77.517,-77.517) Polar Plateau ENVELOPE(0.000,0.000,-90.000,-90.000) Beacon Valley ENVELOPE(160.650,160.650,-77.817,-77.817) University Valley ENVELOPE(160.667,160.667,-77.867,-77.867) Linnaeus Terrace ENVELOPE(161.083,161.083,-77.600,-77.600) Antarctic Science 21 1 89 94 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
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crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract Dry permafrost on Earth is unique to the Antarctic and is found in the upper elevations of the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Despite its widespread presence in the Dry Valleys, the factors that control the distribution of dry permafrost and the ice-cemented ground below it are poorly understood. Here I show, by a combination of theoretical analysis and field observations, that the recurrence of snow can explain the depth of dry permafrost and the location of ice-cemented ground in Antarctica. For data from Linnaeus Terrace at 1600–1650 m elevation in Upper Wright Valley a recurrence intervals of about two years explains the presence of ground ice at 25 cm depth, under 12.5 cm of dry permafrost. Snow recurrence periods longer than 10 years would create only dry permafrost at this site. The snow gradient in University Valley resulting from the windblown snow from the polar plateau creates a corresponding gradient in the depth to ice-cemented ground. On the floor of Beacon Valley, the presence of dry permafrost without underlying ice-cemented ground indicates snow recurrence intervals of more than 10 years and implies that the ancient massive ice in this valley is not stable. Snow recurrence may also set the depth to ground ice on Mars. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McKay, Christopher P. |
spellingShingle |
McKay, Christopher P. Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
author_facet |
McKay, Christopher P. |
author_sort |
McKay, Christopher P. |
title |
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
title_short |
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
title_full |
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
title_fullStr |
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
title_full_unstemmed |
Snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica |
title_sort |
snow recurrence sets the depth of dry permafrost at high elevations in the mcmurdo dry valleys of antarctica |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001508 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0954102008001508 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(161.833,161.833,-77.517,-77.517) ENVELOPE(0.000,0.000,-90.000,-90.000) ENVELOPE(160.650,160.650,-77.817,-77.817) ENVELOPE(160.667,160.667,-77.867,-77.867) ENVELOPE(161.083,161.083,-77.600,-77.600) |
geographic |
Antarctic The Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Wright Valley Polar Plateau Beacon Valley University Valley Linnaeus Terrace |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic The Antarctic McMurdo Dry Valleys Wright Valley Polar Plateau Beacon Valley University Valley Linnaeus Terrace |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctic Science Antarctica Ice McMurdo Dry Valleys permafrost |
op_source |
Antarctic Science volume 21, issue 1, page 89-94 ISSN 0954-1020 1365-2079 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0954102008001508 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
21 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
89 |
op_container_end_page |
94 |
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1811646686303354880 |