Ice flow physical processes derived from the ERS-1 high-resolution map of the Antarctica and Greenland ice sheets
The ERS-1 satellite, launched in 1991, has provided altimetric observations of the Greenland Ice Sheet and 80 per cent of the Antarctica Ice Sheet north of 82°S. It was placed in a geodetic (168-day repeat) orbit between April 1994 and March 1995, yielding a 1.5 km across-track spacing at latitude 7...
| Published in: | Geophysical Journal International |
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| Main Authors: | , , |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Oxford University Press
1999
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://gji.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/short/139/3/645 https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-246x.1999.00964.x |
| Summary: | The ERS-1 satellite, launched in 1991, has provided altimetric observations of the Greenland Ice Sheet and 80 per cent of the Antarctica Ice Sheet north of 82°S. It was placed in a geodetic (168-day repeat) orbit between April 1994 and March 1995, yielding a 1.5 km across-track spacing at latitude 70° with a higher along-track sampling of 350 m. We have analysed the waveform altimetric data from this period to compute maps with a 1/30° grid size. Data processing consists of correcting for environmental factors and editing and retracking the waveforms. A further step consists of reducing the radial orbit error through crossover analysis and correcting the slope error to second order. The high-resolution topography of both ice sheets reveals numerous details. A kilometre-scale surface roughness running at 45° from the flow direction is the dominant topographic characteristic of both continents. Antarctica also exhibits many scars due to local flow anomalies. Several physical processes can be identified: abrupt transitions from deformation to sliding and vice versa, and impressive strike-slip phenomena, inducing en echelon folds. |
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