Northeastern Borderlands of the Ross Sea: Glaciological Studies in King Edward VII Land and Northwestern Marie Byrd Land

Wade, F. Alton

doi:10.2307/209857

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 0 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Figure 3 shows twenty regions preserving a record of past glaciation in Antarctica, implying an ancient ice sheet that may have extended to the continental shelf if the highest former ice levels in West Antarctica [Wade, 1937;Cameron and Goldthwait, 1961;Craddock et al, 1964;Douman/, 1964 Chriss and Frakes, 1972;Fillon, 1972], and on the Weddell Sea floor [Anderson, 1972]. Among all the drainage basins of the antarctic ice sheet, non-equilibrium concave surface profiles exist only for those parts of the west antarctic ice sheet which feed the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf between the Ellsworth Mountains and the Pensacola Mountains and feed the Ross ice shelf between the Edsel Ford Range and the Hofiick Mountains.…”

Section: Past and Present Ice Cover Of West Antarcticamentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The Ross Sea ice drainage basin is divided into east antarctic and west antarctic portions by the Transantarctic Mountains, and the latter portion has several features which suggest nonequilibrium flow conditions; specifically, (1) the ice surface is generally concave whereas an equilibrium ice sheet has a convex surface [Nye, 1959[Nye, , 1967Hae[eli, 1961;Weertman, 1961], (2) evidence of extensive past glaciation• is preserved in bordering unglaciated areas and on •he Ross Sea floor [Wade, 1937;Douma•i, 1964;Mercer, 1968aMercer, , 1972Calkin eta/., 1970;Denton et al, 1970;Houtz and Meijer, 1970;LeMasurier, 1972;Mayewski, 1972;Fillon, 1972], (3) the floating ice cover and possibly the grounded ice cover overlies bedrock that is apparently in isostatic uplift, presumably due to partial reduction of a heavier former ice cover [Bennett, 1964;Robinson, 1964;Bentley, 1964], (4) ice elevations formerly were several hundred meters higher than at present according to oxygen isotope analyses of ice cores at Byrd Station and Little America 5 [Johnsen et al, 1972;Dansgaard, personal communication, 1972], (5) between Byrd Station and the ice divide, downstream ice output quite possibly exceeds the precipitation ice input, suggesting a negative ice budget in this region [Whillans, 1973a, b;Brecher, 1973], (6) a wet base underlies most or all of the grounded ice sheet, which is a neces•ry but not sufficient condition for a surge of the ice sheet [Zotikov, 1963a;Gow et al, 1968;Weertman, 1969;Robin et al, 1970b;Budd et al, 1970;Dewart, 1973], and (7) thermal instability may be widespread in the grounded ice cover and might-lead to thermal convection [Hughes, 1971[Hughes, , 1972aBentley, 1971] and perhaps surges …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Is the west Antarctic Ice Sheet disintegrating?

Hughes¹

1973

J. Geophys. Res.

271

162

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Data pertaining to the dynamics and history of the west antarctic ice cover are reviewed and interpreted in terms of a possible inherent instability of the ice cover. A study of published data concerning the past and present ice cover of West Antarctica indicates that during the last few million years the ice sheet has been retreating in stages, each retreat stage being preceded by an advance of comparable duration. Thus disintegration of the west antarctic ice sheet seems to follow the disintegration pattern of other continental ice sheets and may be the last phase of the worldwide Late Cenozoic ice age. At least some of the retreat stages seem to have been rapid enough to be called surges. Stages of advance seem to have temporarily introduced equilibrium conditions, since equilibrium ice sheet surface profiles can be reconstructed from the moraines, etc., and thus mark the stable limits of each advance. Present ice sheet surface profiles along flowlines entering both the Ronne and the Ross ice shelves from Marie Byrd Land are not equilibrium profiles, suggesting that the west antarctic ice sheet is unstable. An analysis of the grounded portion of the west antarctic ice cover indicates that data relating to the surface profile, ice velocity, and the mass balance are all incompatible with an equilibrium ice sheet. Instability seems to be centered in the major ice streams that drain Marie Byrd Land. An analysis of the floating portion of the west antarctic ice cover indicates that basal melting is most pronounced along the Siple Coast of the Ross ice shelf and causes retreat of the grounding line into Marie Byrd Land. Instability seems to be related to sudden retreats of the grounding line.

show abstract

Section: Past and Present Ice Cover Of West Antarcticamentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Is the west Antarctic Ice Sheet disintegrating?

Hughes¹

1973

J. Geophys. Res.

271

162

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Swithinbank 3 has described briefly a “blue” ice area in the mountains of western Dron“ning Maud Land which is attributed to meteorological factors, and Schytt 4 has expanded on this. Wade, 5 in the Edsel Ford Mountains, describes a small “blue” ice area as perhaps originating from percolated melt water. There are undoubtedly several factors which may cause abnormal densification of ice, particularly ice found near exposed rock outcrops where little or no accumulation occurs, and where the ice movement is small.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Formation of “Blue” Glacier Ice by Horizontal Compressive Forces

Crary¹,

Charles²

1961

J. Glaciol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Data a r e supplied to show that the "blue" surface ice zone encountered in the Skel ton Glac ier, Anta rctica, results from ho ri zontal compressive forces. Exam p les of the densifica tion of surface snows of the R oss I ce Shelf by this m eans ar e also given. Su ch density changes shoul d be expec ted in a ny area where e ither of the p rincipal horizon ta l strain-ra tes is n egative. R ESUME. Les a uteurs fournissen t les donnees montran t que la zone de glace bleu e superficielle ren con tree su r le G lacier de S kelto n dans l'Antar ctique resulte de fo rces horizon tales de compression. Ils donnent d e p lus des exemples d e d ensification de la neige su perfic iell e d u R oss I ce Shelf ayan t les memes causes. On peu t prevoir de tels c ha ngements de den site dans toute zone o u l' une des principales vitesses horizontales de defor mation est negative. Z USAMMENFASSUNG . Die vorliegenclen U ntersuchungen zeigen, dass d ie Zone " bla u en" O berfl ache ne ises, d ie im Skelton G letsch er, An tarktika, a nzutreffen ist, clur ch h ori zon tale D r uckkra fte hervorgerufen w ird. Auf d ieselbe Weise werden Verd ichtungserschei nungen im Ober flac henschnee des R oss-Eisschel fes erklar t. Solc he Di chteanderungen k6nnen ii bera ll dor t erwartet werd en, wo ein e cler horizontalen H auptspa nnu ngen negativ ist.

show abstract

Formation of “Blue” Glacier Ice by Horizontal Compressive Forces

Crary¹,

Charles²

1961

J. Glaciol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

ABSTRACT. Data a r e supplied to show that the "blue" surface ice zone encountered in the Skel ton Glac ier, Anta rctica, results from ho ri zontal compressive forces. Exam p les of the densifica tion of surface snows of the R oss I ce Shelf by this m eans ar e also given. Su ch density changes shoul d be expec ted in a ny area where e ither of the p rincipal horizon ta l strain-ra tes is n egative. R ESUME. Les a uteurs fournissen t les donnees montran t que la zone de glace bleu e superficielle ren con tree su r le G lacier de S kelto n dans l'Antar ctique resulte de fo rces horizon tales de compression. Ils donnent d e p lus des exemples d e d ensification de la neige su perfic iell e d u R oss I ce Shelf ayan t les memes causes. On peu t prevoir de tels c ha ngements de den site dans toute zone o u l' une des principales vitesses horizontales de defor mation est negative. Z USAMMENFASSUNG . Die vorliegenclen U ntersuchungen zeigen, dass d ie Zone " bla u en" O berfl ache ne ises, d ie im Skelton G letsch er, An tarktika, a nzutreffen ist, clur ch h ori zon tale D r uckkra fte hervorgerufen w ird. Auf d ieselbe Weise werden Verd ichtungserschei nungen im Ober flac henschnee des R oss-Eisschel fes erklar t. Solc he Di chteanderungen k6nnen ii bera ll dor t erwartet werd en, wo ein e cler horizontalen H auptspa nnu ngen negativ ist.DURING the 1958-59 tra verse into the Victoria Land pla teau from the R oss I ce Shelf, the party passed through the Skelton Inlet and G lacier , w here severa l geophysical stations were established en route. I , Z Along the cen tral part of the floating ice of the inlet, an extensive "blue" ice area with hi gh surface densities was encou ntered. The approxima te ex tent of t h is area is shown in Figure [ which shows a lso the mai n sou rces of ice flowin g into the inlet and some of the flow pa tterns as observed on aerial pho togra phs. Though the traverse sched ule d id n ot p ermit detailed examina tion of this "blue" ice area, sufficient data are ava ilable to permit a postul a tion on i ts m ode of formation ." Blue" ice has been en countered in n early all areas of m ountain glacierization, both 111 Antarctica a nd in the northern hemisphere, though generally little attemp t has been m ade to explain its presence o ther than through meteorological p arameters. Swithinbank 3 has descri bed b ri efl y a " blue" ice area in the mountains of western Dronning M a ud Land which is attributed to meteorological factors, and Schytt 4 has exp and ed on this. W ade,S in the Edsel Ford M ou ntains, describes a small " blue" ice area as p erha ps originating from percolated melt water. There a re u n doubtedly several factors whi ch m ay cause abn orm al densificatio n of ice, particularly ice found near exposed rock ou tcro ps w here little or no accumu la tion occurs, a nd where the ice m ovement is small. H owever, it is believed tha t the "blu e" ice encountered in the central pa rt of the Skelton area is caused by the com b ina tion of horizon ta l compressive forces a nd th e absen...

show abstract

Northeastern Borderlands of the Ross Sea: Glaciological Studies in King Edward VII Land and Northwestern Marie Byrd Land

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Is the west Antarctic Ice Sheet disintegrating?

Is the west Antarctic Ice Sheet disintegrating?

Formation of “Blue” Glacier Ice by Horizontal Compressive Forces

Formation of “Blue” Glacier Ice by Horizontal Compressive Forces

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About