(Table 1) Moisture content of buried snowpack deposit samples from Pearse Valley, McMurdo Dry Valleys, supplement to: Heldmann, J L; Marinova, M; Williams, K E; Lacelle, Denis; McKay, Christopher P; Davila, A; Pollard, W; Andersen, D T (2012): Formation and evolution of buried snowpack deposits in Pearse Valley, Antarctica, and implications for Mars. Antarctic Science, 24(03), 299-316

Buried snowpack deposits are found within the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, which offers the opportunity to study these layered structures of sand and ice within a polar desert environment. Four discrete buried snowpacks are studied within Pearse Valley, Antarctica, through in situ observations...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Heldmann, J L, Marinova, M, Williams, K E, Lacelle, Denis, McKay, Christopher P, Davila, A, Pollard, W, Andersen, D T
Format: Dataset
Language:English
Published: PANGAEA - Data Publisher for Earth & Environmental Science 2012
Subjects:
Sample ID
DATE/TIME
Date/time end
Site
Sample type
Water content, wet mass
Excavation
International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY
Arctic
Antarctic
The Antarctic
McMurdo Dry Valleys
Pollard
Pearse Valley
Marinova
Antarc*
Antarctica
International Polar Year
IPY
polar desert
Online Access:https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.810715
https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.810715
Description
Summary:Buried snowpack deposits are found within the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, which offers the opportunity to study these layered structures of sand and ice within a polar desert environment. Four discrete buried snowpacks are studied within Pearse Valley, Antarctica, through in situ observations, sample analyses, O-H isotope measurements and numerical modelling of snowpack stability and evolution. The buried snowpack deposits evolve throughout the year and undergo deposition, melt, refreeze, and sublimation. We demonstrate how the deposition and subsequent burial of snow can preserve the snowpacks in the Dry Valleys. The modelled lifetimes of the buried snowpacks are dependent upon subsurface stratigraphy but are typically less than one year if the lag thickness is less than c. 7 cm and snow thickness is less than c. 10 cm, indicating that some of the Antarctic buried snowpacks form annually. Buried snowpacks in the Antarctic polar desert may serve as analogues for similar deposits on Mars and may be applicable to observations of the north polar erg, buried ice at the Mars Phoenix landing site, and observations of buried ice throughout the martian Arctic. Numerical modelling suggests that seasonal snows and subsequent burial are not required to preserve the snow and ice on Mars. : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150

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