Englacial architecture and age‐depth constraints across the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

The englacial stratigraphic architecture of internal‐reflection horizons (IRHs) as imaged by ice‐penetrating radar (IPR) across ice sheets reflects the cumulative effects of surface mass balance, basal melt and ice flow. IRHs, considered isochrones, have typically been traced in interior, slow‐flowi...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Ashmore, DW, Bingham, RG, Ross, N, Siegert, MJ, Jordan, TA, Mair, DWF
Other Authors: Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: American Geophysical Union (AGU) 2020
Subjects:
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
Antarctic
Byrd
Weddell
Weddell Sea
West Antarctic Ice Sheet
Antarc*
ice core
Ice Sheet
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10044/1/77245
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl086663
Description
Summary:The englacial stratigraphic architecture of internal‐reflection horizons (IRHs) as imaged by ice‐penetrating radar (IPR) across ice sheets reflects the cumulative effects of surface mass balance, basal melt and ice flow. IRHs, considered isochrones, have typically been traced in interior, slow‐flowing regions. Here, we identify three distinctive IRHs spanning the Institute and Möller catchments that cover 50% of West Antarctica's Weddell Sea Sector and are characterised by a complex system of ice‐stream tributaries. We place age constraints on IRHs through their intersections with previous geophysical surveys tied to Byrd Ice Core, and by age‐depth modeling. We further show where the oldest ice likely exists within the region; and that Holocene ice‐dynamic changes were limited to the catchment's lower reaches. The traced IRHs from this study have clear potential to nucleate a wider continental‐scale IRH database for validating ice‐sheet models.

Similar Items