The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture
The rate and direction of rift propagation through ice shelves depend on both the stress field and the heterogeneity (or otherwise) of the physical properties of the ice. The Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica has recently developed new rifts, which are being actively monitored as they lengthen and inter...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:94ae4f46db764727a520d361c2890a5e 2023-05-15T14:06:37+02:00 The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture E. C. King J. De Rydt G. H. Gudmundsson 2018-10-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 https://doaj.org/article/94ae4f46db764727a520d361c2890a5e EN eng Copernicus Publications https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3361/2018/tc-12-3361-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/94ae4f46db764727a520d361c2890a5e The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3361-3372 (2018) Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 article 2018 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 2022-12-31T03:29:16Z The rate and direction of rift propagation through ice shelves depend on both the stress field and the heterogeneity (or otherwise) of the physical properties of the ice. The Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica has recently developed new rifts, which are being actively monitored as they lengthen and interact with the internal structure of the ice shelf. Here we present the results of a ground-penetrating radar survey of the Brunt Ice Shelf aimed at understanding variations in the internal structure. We find that there are flow bands composed mostly of thick (ca. 250 m) meteoric ice interspersed with thinner (ca. 150 m) sections of ice shelf that have a large proportion of sea ice and seawater-saturated firn. Therefore the ice shelf is, in essence, a series of ice tongues cemented together with ice mélange. The changes in structure are related both to the thickness and flow speed of ice at the grounding line and to subsequent processes of firn accumulation and brine infiltration as the ice shelf flows towards the calving front. It is shown that rifts propagating through the Brunt Ice Shelf preferentially skirt the edges of blocks of meteoric ice and slow their rate of propagation when forced by the stress field to break through them, in contrast to the situation on other ice shelves where rift propagation speeds up in meteoric ice. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Sea ice The Cryosphere Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Brunt Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-22.500,-22.500,-74.750,-74.750) The Cryosphere 12 10 3361 3372 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
spellingShingle |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 E. C. King J. De Rydt G. H. Gudmundsson The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
topic_facet |
Environmental sciences GE1-350 Geology QE1-996.5 |
description |
The rate and direction of rift propagation through ice shelves depend on both the stress field and the heterogeneity (or otherwise) of the physical properties of the ice. The Brunt Ice Shelf in Antarctica has recently developed new rifts, which are being actively monitored as they lengthen and interact with the internal structure of the ice shelf. Here we present the results of a ground-penetrating radar survey of the Brunt Ice Shelf aimed at understanding variations in the internal structure. We find that there are flow bands composed mostly of thick (ca. 250 m) meteoric ice interspersed with thinner (ca. 150 m) sections of ice shelf that have a large proportion of sea ice and seawater-saturated firn. Therefore the ice shelf is, in essence, a series of ice tongues cemented together with ice mélange. The changes in structure are related both to the thickness and flow speed of ice at the grounding line and to subsequent processes of firn accumulation and brine infiltration as the ice shelf flows towards the calving front. It is shown that rifts propagating through the Brunt Ice Shelf preferentially skirt the edges of blocks of meteoric ice and slow their rate of propagation when forced by the stress field to break through them, in contrast to the situation on other ice shelves where rift propagation speeds up in meteoric ice. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
E. C. King J. De Rydt G. H. Gudmundsson |
author_facet |
E. C. King J. De Rydt G. H. Gudmundsson |
author_sort |
E. C. King |
title |
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
title_short |
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
title_full |
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
title_fullStr |
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
title_full_unstemmed |
The internal structure of the Brunt Ice Shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
title_sort |
internal structure of the brunt ice shelf from ice-penetrating radar analysis and implications for ice shelf fracture |
publisher |
Copernicus Publications |
publishDate |
2018 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 https://doaj.org/article/94ae4f46db764727a520d361c2890a5e |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-22.500,-22.500,-74.750,-74.750) |
geographic |
Brunt Ice Shelf |
geographic_facet |
Brunt Ice Shelf |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Sea ice The Cryosphere |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctica Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Sea ice The Cryosphere |
op_source |
The Cryosphere, Vol 12, Pp 3361-3372 (2018) |
op_relation |
https://www.the-cryosphere.net/12/3361/2018/tc-12-3361-2018.pdf https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0416 https://doaj.org/toc/1994-0424 doi:10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 1994-0416 1994-0424 https://doaj.org/article/94ae4f46db764727a520d361c2890a5e |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-12-3361-2018 |
container_title |
The Cryosphere |
container_volume |
12 |
container_issue |
10 |
container_start_page |
3361 |
op_container_end_page |
3372 |
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1766278610803490816 |