Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry
We present radar interferograms of rock glaciers in the Beacon Valley sector of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, in East Antarctica, as part of a comprehensive study of surface processes in the area. Due to the relative absence of net precipitation (snow) in this region and the stability of the surface, the...
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ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org/ark:/13030/qt5nq6z04d 2023-05-15T13:39:57+02:00 Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry Rignot, E Hallet, B Fountain, A 48-1-48-4 2002-06-15 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5nq6z04d unknown eScholarship, University of California qt5nq6z04d https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5nq6z04d CC-BY CC-BY Geophysical Research Letters, vol 29, iss 12 Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences article 2002 ftcdlib 2020-03-20T23:55:51Z We present radar interferograms of rock glaciers in the Beacon Valley sector of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, in East Antarctica, as part of a comprehensive study of surface processes in the area. Due to the relative absence of net precipitation (snow) in this region and the stability of the surface, the rock glaciers maintain excellent coherence of the radar returns over several years. As a result, we obtain a spatially continuous surface velocity field with a precision of fractions of a millimeter per year. On distinct rock glaciers entering Beacon Valley, we find coherent velocity patterns, with peak velocities approaching 40 mm per year. The ice supply from these rock glaciers nourishes the central portion of Beacon Valley, where velocities are found to be vanishingly small, and partly compensates for mass losses induced by sublimation. This analysis is consistent with the tantalizing notion that Beacon Valley ice is the oldest on Earth. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys University of California: eScholarship Beacon Valley ENVELOPE(160.650,160.650,-77.817,-77.817) East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of California: eScholarship |
op_collection_id |
ftcdlib |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Rignot, E Hallet, B Fountain, A Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
topic_facet |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences |
description |
We present radar interferograms of rock glaciers in the Beacon Valley sector of the McMurdo Dry Valleys, in East Antarctica, as part of a comprehensive study of surface processes in the area. Due to the relative absence of net precipitation (snow) in this region and the stability of the surface, the rock glaciers maintain excellent coherence of the radar returns over several years. As a result, we obtain a spatially continuous surface velocity field with a precision of fractions of a millimeter per year. On distinct rock glaciers entering Beacon Valley, we find coherent velocity patterns, with peak velocities approaching 40 mm per year. The ice supply from these rock glaciers nourishes the central portion of Beacon Valley, where velocities are found to be vanishingly small, and partly compensates for mass losses induced by sublimation. This analysis is consistent with the tantalizing notion that Beacon Valley ice is the oldest on Earth. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rignot, E Hallet, B Fountain, A |
author_facet |
Rignot, E Hallet, B Fountain, A |
author_sort |
Rignot, E |
title |
Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
title_short |
Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
title_full |
Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
title_fullStr |
Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
title_full_unstemmed |
Rock glacier surface motion in Beacon Valley, Antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
title_sort |
rock glacier surface motion in beacon valley, antarctica, from synthetic-aperture radar interferometry |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5nq6z04d |
op_coverage |
48-1-48-4 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(160.650,160.650,-77.817,-77.817) |
geographic |
Beacon Valley East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
geographic_facet |
Beacon Valley East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica East Antarctica McMurdo Dry Valleys |
op_source |
Geophysical Research Letters, vol 29, iss 12 |
op_relation |
qt5nq6z04d https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5nq6z04d |
op_rights |
CC-BY |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
_version_ |
1766126402943320064 |