Abstract:
An automatic weather station (AWS) was installed in three separate surface types in the vicinity of Bratina Island on the McMurdo Ice Shelf (MIS) over two summer seasons, in order to identify the processes influencing the formation of meltwater on the MIS. The three different surface types were debris covered ice, clean ice and accumulation area snow. Variables measured directly include, incoming
... and outgoing shortwave and longwave radiation, temperature and humidity (at 105cm and 237.5cm), surface temperature, subsurface temperature (at 15cm and 30cm), wind speed and direction (at 63.5cm and 196cm) and atmospheric pressure. When the AWS was installed over the debris covered ice, (period: 9th November - 3rd December), there were two thermistors in the debris, one at 15 cm and one at 30 cm depths that measured subsurface temperature. During the period on the clean ice (4th December - 24th January) a distance sensor was used to assess ablation. In addition to recording standard meteorological measurements, the AWS was configured with sensors to enable the calculation of turbulent fluxes and the radiation balance. An eddy covariance system was also installed for several days and measurements of the albedo of different surface types were made. 
