State of balance of the ice sheet in the Antarctic Peninsula

• Published in: Annals of Glaciology
• Main Author: Doake, Christopher S.M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: International Glaciological Society 1982
• Subjects: Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarctic Peninsula; Palmer Land; George VI Ice Shelf; Spartan Glacier; Annals of Glaciology; Antarc*; Ice Sheet; Ice Shelf
• Online Access: http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/524347/; https://doi.org/10.3189/S0260305500002561

Data from ice rises on the east coast of the Antarctic Peninsula can be interpreted as showing that the ice is thinning at rates of up 0.5 m a−1. However, a level line between two nunataks in Palmer Land showed no change in surface elevation over a period of 5 a. Melt rates on George VI Ice Shelf vary with position and may indicate that parts of the ice shelf are thickening at the rate of several m a−1, presumably in response to a higher accumulation rate over the peninsula a few hundred years ago. A small valley glacier, Spartan Glacier, is wasting away at about 0.27 m a−1. Ice fronts on both east and west coasts of the peninsula have been retreating for the last 30 a. It seems that there is general glacier recession in response to a wanner climate and decreased snowfall for at least the last 30 a, while parts of the peninsula are still thickening in response to a high accumulation rate several hundred years ago.