The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding
Antarctica's subglacial lakes have two end member geophysical expressions: as hydraulically flat, radar reflective regions highlighted in ice surface topography and radar sounding profiles (‘definite lakes’), and as localized sites of elevation change identified from repeat elevation observatio...
Published in: | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 2024-06-23T07:46:32+00:00 The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding Young, D. A. Schroeder, D. M. Blankenship, D. D. Kempf, Scott D. Quartini, E. NSF NERC NASA 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 374, issue 2059, page 20140297 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 journal-article 2016 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 2024-06-10T04:15:16Z Antarctica's subglacial lakes have two end member geophysical expressions: as hydraulically flat, radar reflective regions highlighted in ice surface topography and radar sounding profiles (‘definite lakes’), and as localized sites of elevation change identified from repeat elevation observations (‘active lakes’) that are often found in fast flowing ice streams or enhanced ice flow tributaries. While ‘definite lakes’ can be identified readily by high bed reflectivity in radar sounding, the identification and characterization of less distinct subglacial lakes and water systems with radar sounding are complicated by variable radio-wave attenuation in the overlying ice. When relying on repeat elevation observations, the relatively short times series and biased distribution of elevation observations, along with the episodic nature of ‘active lake’ outflow and replenishment, limit our understanding of how water flows under the ice sheet. Using recently developed methods for quantifying the radar scattering behaviour of the basal interface of the ice, we can avoid the problem of attenuation, and observe the plumbing of the subglacial landscape. In West Antarctica's Ross Sea Embayment, we confirm that extensive distributed water systems underlie these ice streams. Distributed water sheets are upstream in the onset regions of fast flow, while canal systems underly downstream regions of fast flow. In East Antarctica, we use specularity analysis to recover substantial hydraulic connectivity extending beyond previous knowledge, connecting the lakes already delineated by traditional radar sounding or surface elevation transients. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Ross Sea The Royal Society Antarctic East Antarctica Ross Sea Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences 374 2059 20140297 |
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crroyalsociety |
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English |
description |
Antarctica's subglacial lakes have two end member geophysical expressions: as hydraulically flat, radar reflective regions highlighted in ice surface topography and radar sounding profiles (‘definite lakes’), and as localized sites of elevation change identified from repeat elevation observations (‘active lakes’) that are often found in fast flowing ice streams or enhanced ice flow tributaries. While ‘definite lakes’ can be identified readily by high bed reflectivity in radar sounding, the identification and characterization of less distinct subglacial lakes and water systems with radar sounding are complicated by variable radio-wave attenuation in the overlying ice. When relying on repeat elevation observations, the relatively short times series and biased distribution of elevation observations, along with the episodic nature of ‘active lake’ outflow and replenishment, limit our understanding of how water flows under the ice sheet. Using recently developed methods for quantifying the radar scattering behaviour of the basal interface of the ice, we can avoid the problem of attenuation, and observe the plumbing of the subglacial landscape. In West Antarctica's Ross Sea Embayment, we confirm that extensive distributed water systems underlie these ice streams. Distributed water sheets are upstream in the onset regions of fast flow, while canal systems underly downstream regions of fast flow. In East Antarctica, we use specularity analysis to recover substantial hydraulic connectivity extending beyond previous knowledge, connecting the lakes already delineated by traditional radar sounding or surface elevation transients. |
author2 |
NSF NERC NASA |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Young, D. A. Schroeder, D. M. Blankenship, D. D. Kempf, Scott D. Quartini, E. |
spellingShingle |
Young, D. A. Schroeder, D. M. Blankenship, D. D. Kempf, Scott D. Quartini, E. The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
author_facet |
Young, D. A. Schroeder, D. M. Blankenship, D. D. Kempf, Scott D. Quartini, E. |
author_sort |
Young, D. A. |
title |
The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
title_short |
The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
title_full |
The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
title_fullStr |
The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
title_full_unstemmed |
The distribution of basal water between Antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
title_sort |
distribution of basal water between antarctic subglacial lakes from radar sounding |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 |
geographic |
Antarctic East Antarctica Ross Sea |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic East Antarctica Ross Sea |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Ross Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Antarctica East Antarctica Ice Sheet Ross Sea |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences volume 374, issue 2059, page 20140297 ISSN 1364-503X 1471-2962 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2014.0297 |
container_title |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences |
container_volume |
374 |
container_issue |
2059 |
container_start_page |
20140297 |
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1802646562140061696 |