Ice Dynamics and Surface Glaciology along US ITASE Traverse Routes in East Antarctica

东南极洲美国 ITASE 穿越路线沿线的冰动力学和地表冰川学

• 批准号: 0440792
• 负责人: Gordon Hamilton
• 金额: $ 34.55万
• 依托单位: University of Maine
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0440792&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Ice; Dynamics; Surface; Glaciology; along

This award supports a series of field measurements that will improve our understanding of the East Antarctic ice sheet. The objectives of this project are to take advantage of the overland traverse logistics framework provided by US ITASE and to collaborate with other US ITASE investigators to calculate rates of ice sheet thickness change (mass balance) on domes, along elevation contours and along flow lines in East Antarctica using precise global positioning system methods. In addition, the variability (both spatial and temporal) in snow accumulation rates will be assessed using shallow ice cores and ground-penetrating radar profiling, and will provide the capability to deduce true past climate variation in accumulation rates in ~200-year long ice core records by measuring ice motion and upglacier gradients in accumulation rate. Study patterns and causes of the onset of streaming flow in the catchments of selected large outlet glaciers draining through the Transantarctic Mountains will also be determined. The work will be conducted along the proposed US ITASE traverse route from Taylor Dome to South Pole. This route travels across the East Antarctic plateau, roughly parallel to the Transantarctic Mountains. Orthogonal satellite traverses are planned, each of which will follow a flow line of selected major outlet glaciers. The expected results include mass balance determinations for the Ross Ice Shelf sector of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, an improved snow accumulation map for portions of East Antarctica, the deconvolution of ice dynamics effects from climate effects in ice core records, and an analysis of glaciological conditions near the onset of streaming flow leading to large outlet glaciers. The broader impacts of the proposed work include the collaboration with a multidisciplinary group of polar scientists, support of a graduate student and the production of results that will lead to an improved understanding of the Earth system from which sound planning and policy decisions can be based.

该奖项支持一系列实地测量，这将增进我们对东南极冰盖的了解。 该项目的目标是利用美国ITASE提供的陆上穿越物流框架，并与其他美国ITASE研究人员合作，利用精确的全球定位系统方法计算东南极洲穹顶、沿高程等高线和沿流线的冰盖厚度变化率（质量平衡）。 此外，将使用浅冰芯和探地雷达剖面来评估积雪速率的变化（空间和时间），并将提供通过测量冰运动和冰川上积速率梯度来推断约200年长的冰芯记录中积雪速率的真实过去气候变化的能力。 还将确定流经横贯南极山脉的选定大型出口冰川集水区中水流开始的研究模式和原因。 这项工作将沿着拟议的从泰勒圆顶到南极的美国 ITASE 横贯路线进行。这条路线穿越东南极高原，与横贯南极山脉大致平行。规划了正交卫星穿越，每次穿越都将沿着选定的主要出口冰川的流线进行。预期结果包括南极洲东部冰盖罗斯冰架部分的质量平衡测定、南极洲东部部分地区改进的积雪图、冰芯记录中气候效应与冰动力学效应的解卷积，以及对导致大型冰川流出的流动开始附近的冰川条件的分析。拟议工作的更广泛影响包括与极地科学家的多学科小组的合作、研究生的支持以及产生的结果，这些结果将导致更好地了解地球系统，从而为合理的规划和政策决策奠定基础。