42 Annals of Glaciology 50(51) 2009 Flow dynamics of the Rutford Ice Stream ice-drainage basin

ABSTRACT. Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica, drains a catchment of>45 000 km 2 into the Ronne Ice Shelf through a 26 km wide, 2.4 km deep subglacial trough adjacent to the Ellsworth Mountains. Fortytwo per cent of its catchment boundary is common with Pine Island Glacier, where rapid change to...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: E. C. King
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Subjects:
West Antarctica
Ronne Ice Shelf
Pine Island Glacier
Ellsworth Mountains
Rutford
Rutford Ice Stream
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Shelf
Pine Island
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.430.437
http://www.igsoc.org/annals/50/51/a51a064.pdf
Description
Summary:ABSTRACT. Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica, drains a catchment of>45 000 km 2 into the Ronne Ice Shelf through a 26 km wide, 2.4 km deep subglacial trough adjacent to the Ellsworth Mountains. Fortytwo per cent of its catchment boundary is common with Pine Island Glacier, where rapid change to ice dynamics is currently underway. These changes may eventually affect adjacent catchments such as Rutford. Radar sounding data were acquired over the Rutford ice-drainage basin that show the internal structure. In particular, distinctive reflector groups were identified that mark the boundaries between four different flow elements. The flow-margin reflector groups include curvilinear events that cross-cut isochrones and are therefore likely to be post-depositional. These reflections may arise from crystal orientation fabrics generated by localized strain in a flow margin. One of the sectors of the ice-drainage basin supplies the largest share (38%) of the ice volume flux through the main trunk of Rutford Ice Stream. This sector may be preferentially affected by continuing surface lowering in the Pine Island Glacier catchment.

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