Antarctic Ice-Shelf Front Dynamics from ICESat

• Main Authors: Yi, Donghui, Robbins, John W., Saba, Jack L., Zwally, H. Jay
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Earth Resources and Remote Sensing; Antarctic; Antarc*; Ice Shelf
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2060/20120008039

Time variable elevation profiles from ICESat Laser Altimetry over the period 2003-2009 provide a means to quantitatively detect and track topographic features on polar ice surfaces. The results of this study provide a measure of the horizontal motion of ice-shelf fronts. We examine the time histories of elevation profiles crossing the ice fronts of the Ross, Ronne, Filchner, Riiser-Larson and Fimbul shelves. This provides a basis for estimating dynamics in two dimensions, i.e. in elevation and horizontally in the along-track direction. Ice front velocities, corrected for ground-track intersection angle, range from nearly static to 1.1 km/yr. In many examples, a decrease in elevation up to 1 m/yr near the shelf frontis also detectable. Examples of tabular calving along shelf fronts are seen in some elevation profiles and are confirmed by corresponding MODIS imagery.