McMURDO ICE WHARF - PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND CRITERIA FOR PROTECTION.

Since January 1964, fast ice along the western shore of Winter Quarters Bay near McMurdo Station has been used with a great deal of success as a wharf for ship unloading. Prior to that time, ships were offloaded onto the annual sea ice several miles from the station, a dangerous and time-consuming o...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Paige,Russell A.
Other Authors: NAVAL CIVIL ENGINEERING LAB PORT HUENEME CALIF
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1969
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
Marine Engineering
*ICE
*PIERS
*SEA ICE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
GLACIERS
TEMPERATURE
SHIPS
PROTECTION
OCEAN WAVES
DRAINAGE
FREEZING
MELTING
DETERIORATION
HISTORY
DAMAGE
MCMURDO STATION
RUNOFF
McMurdo Station
Winter Quarters Bay
Ice
permafrost
Sea ice
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0687715
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0687715
Description
Summary:Since January 1964, fast ice along the western shore of Winter Quarters Bay near McMurdo Station has been used with a great deal of success as a wharf for ship unloading. Prior to that time, ships were offloaded onto the annual sea ice several miles from the station, a dangerous and time-consuming operation. Because of the importance of this facility, investigations were begun in Deep Freeze 66 to determine the extent and properties of the ice wharf and to develop criteria for possible protective measures. Based on this investigation, it was concluded that use of the natural ice wharf at McMurdo will be severely curtailed by DF-72 if measures are not taken immediately to prevent further loss of the fast ice. A protective dock has been designed by the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) that will cover the face of the ice wharf to protect the ice from wave action; however, early construction of this dock is essential to prevent further loss of the fast ice. Once protected from wave action and uncontrolled drainage, the internal temperatures of the ice wharf are sufficiently low to prevent any extensive melting and deterioration. (Author)

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