Thickness Changes on Whillans Ice Stream and Ice Stream C, West Antarctica, Derived from Laser Altimeter Measurements

Repeat airborne laser altimeter measurements are used to derive surface elevation changes on parts of Whillans Ice Stream and Ice Stream C, West Antarctica. Elevation changes are converted to estimates of ice equivalent thickness change using local accumulation rates, surface snow densities and vert...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Spikes, Vandy Blue, Csathó, Beáta M., Hamilton, Gordon S., Whillans, Ian M.
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: DigitalCommons@UMaine 2003
Subjects:
Earth Sciences
West Antarctica
Whillans
Whillans Ice Stream
Antarc*
Antarctica
Ice Stream C
Online Access:https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/ers_facpub/112
https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1111&context=ers_facpub
Description
Summary:Repeat airborne laser altimeter measurements are used to derive surface elevation changes on parts of Whillans Ice Stream and Ice Stream C, West Antarctica. Elevation changes are converted to estimates of ice equivalent thickness change using local accumulation rates, surface snow densities and vertical bedrock motions. The surveyed portions of two major tributaries of Whillans Ice Stream are found to be thinning almost uniformly at an average rate of similar to 1 m a(-1). Ice Stream C has a complicated elevation-change pattern, but is generally thickening. These results are used to estimate the contribution of each surveyed region to the current rate of global sea-level rise.

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