Holocene climate history from ice cores, snow profiles, weather and glacier investigations (topography, mass balance and bedrock mapping) of the Victoria Lower Glacier, Victoria Land Coast, Antarctica
Abstract:
To understand the drivers and consequences of climate change on timescales important to humans, the paleoclimate of ice cores, the glacial system and local climate patterns were analysed from two sites at the Victoria Lower Glacier. Four shallow cores of differing depths were recovered from the glacier. Two were measured for density profile in the field and the other two were sent to NZ and USA ... for further analysis. The topography of the glacier surface was surveyed applying differential GPS. Snow profiles for 0-3m depth were cut and investigated. The analysis included visual logging, density measurements and sampling for determining isotopic and chemistry characteristics. Bore-hole temperature of the drill holes was measured. A weather station was installed measuring temperature, wind speed and direction, relative humidity, solar radiation and snow pack temperature. Mass balance measurements were installed at two sites using high precision, differential, static GPS to quantify mass balance are re-measured over several seasons. The so-called Coffee-Can devices are used to measure the horizontal and vertical displacement of anchors placed at shallow depths in the glacier. A GPR survey was carried out to map the bedrock topography and internal structure of the glacier. Three different antennae frequencies were used (35, 200 and 400MHz) for different resolution and penetration depths. Eight shallow firn and ice cores were recovered and analysed for crystal structure, melt and dust layer with samples being returned to the USA for further analysis. Two snow profiles (5m and 1m) were cut and sampled in 1cm resolution for major ion content, isotope ratios and in 5cm resolution for dust flux and beta radioactivity. Temperature, crystal geometry and density of the snow profiles were measured on site. Temporary ablation stakes for mass balance measurements and dust/diatom traps were employed for 8 weeks and analysed for dust mineralogy, grain size and relative quantity, diatom species found and weekly changes in snow cover. A 180m core was extracted, measured, logged and sent to NZ and USA for further analysis (water and dust analysis, density measurements). The borehole was cased and capped for future measurements such as temperature, magnetic susceptibility and transmissivity of light. Basic weather observations were recorded. A 1m deep snow sequence was sampled with 1cm resolution for analysis on snow chemistry, isotopic composition, dust content and mineralogy.
Description:
The IGS global system of satellite tracking stations, Data Centers, and Analysis Centers puts high-quality GPS data and data products on line in near real time to meet the objectives of a wide range of scientific and engineering applications and studies.
Description:
The ice reader database hosts basic data from ice cores of the Antarctic Continent. The goal is to compile a complete list of cores by name, site, location and as much other information as possible
Description:
Publishing Network for Geoscientific & Environmental Data This database contains information regarding stable oxygen isotopes of snow pits at four sites: Polar Plateau, Victoria Lower Glacier, Wilson Piedmont Glacier and Baldwin Valley Glacier
