Heat and groundwater transport between the Antarctic Ice Sheet and subglacial sedimentary basins from electromagnetic geophysical measurements

• Published in: SEG Technical Program Expanded Abstracts 2019
• Main Authors: Kulessa, B, Key, K, Thompson, S, Siegert, M
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: Society of Exploration Geophysicists 2019
• Subjects: Earth Sciences; Geophysics; Electrical and electromagnetic methods in geophysics; Antarctic; The Antarctic; West Antarctica; Institute Ice Stream; Antarc*; Antarctica; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://library.seg.org/doi/10.1190/segam2019-3215566.1; https://doi.org/10.1190/segam2019-3215566.1; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/140815

Numerical models of contemporary as well as paleo-ice sheets suggest that groundwater and heat exchanges between subglacial sedimentary basins and the ice sheet above, can be substantial and influence the flow of ice above. So far, an approach for the measurement and assessment of such heat fluxes has not been available. Here, we summarise existing evidence for groundwater and heat exchanges between contemporary and paleo ice sheets and the substrate below. We then explain the utility of electromagnetic geophysical measurements in elucidating such exchanges, and present magnetotelluric synthetic models of the deep sedimentary basin beneath the Institute Ice Stream in West Antarctica by way of illustration. Finally, we propose a simple empirical model by which heat exchanges between subglacial sedimentary basins and the overlying ice sheet can be estimated to first-order from electromagnetic data.