Project Title

Ice-shelf instability caused by active surface meltwater production, movement, ponding, and hydrofracture

Summary

Event Number:
I-151-E

Program Director:
Dr. Paul Cutler

ASC POC/Implementer:
Samina Ouda / Cara Ferrier

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Alison Banwell
alison.banwell@colorado.edu
University of Colorado Boulder
CIRES
Boulder, Colorado

Location

Supporting Stations: Special Project
Research Locations: George VI Ice Shelf

Description

This project is a collaboration with a U.K. Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)-supported scientist with field support from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS). The objective is to investigate how surface meltwater production could drive ice-shelf breakup, similar to the type Larson B Ice Shelf demonstrated prior to its collapse. The proposal aims to study break-up by investigating the George VI Ice shelf, which is currently forming surface melt ponds but is in a somewhat stable condition because of its compressional-ice-flow configuration. This work builds on understanding from the team’s previous McMurdo Ice Shelf project and focuses on understanding ice-shelf collapse dynamics through a study of (1) ice-shelf flexure and fracturing, (2) surface melt and hydrology, (3) small-scale ponding and drainages, and (4) process-scale modeling of ice-shelf flexure, fracture, and hydrology.

Field Season Overview

This project will have three science team members plus one BAS field mountaineer deploying to the George VI Ice Shelf on the Antarctic Peninsula. BAS will provide field and safety gear, communications, and other support. The U.S. Antarctic Program will provide cargo support for the team. Once the team members arrive at Rothera Station and complete the required safety courses, they will be flown to Fossil Bluff Station in early November for approximately three weeks. Fieldwork will be based out of the BAS Fossil Bluff hut and restricted to previously visited field sites within 30 km of Fossil Bluff. As before, the BAS field mountaineer will conduct a safety assessment of all sites. The project seeks to extract firn/ice cores to depths of 10 m to measure seasonal variations in vertical density profiles. These cores will be left in the field. The team will also download data from and service the instruments already deployed. Some instruments that may have been damaged due to meltwater will be replaced, as required.

Deploying Team Members