Project Title

A New Instrument and Measurement Approach to Cryoseismogeodesy: Monitoring Antarctic Ice Shelf Stability Using Ice Penetrators

Summary

Event Number:
D-550-M
NSF / OPP Award 1931131

Program Director:
Dr. Marion Dierickx

ASC POC/Implementer:
Ryan Steiner / Jenny Cunningham

Principal Investigator(s)

Mr. Pedro Elosegui
elosegui@mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: Ross Ice Shelf

Description

Antarctic ice shelves, a critical element in the stability of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS), are showing signs of rapid decline. Ice shelf melting, retreating, and thinning lead to increased discharge of grounded ice to the ocean and to concomitant sea level rise. Ice shelf disintegration could drive the AIS to eventual collapse. Despite their key role in the future fate of the AIS under a warming climate, ice shelves are lacking in situ seismic and geodetic measurements. To address these challenges, the team proposes to combine cryoseismology and cryogeodesy for the first time into a single instrument — a seismogeodetic ice penetrator (SGIP) — that can be airdropped onto an ice shelf surface to help advance understanding of Antarctic ice-ocean-atmosphere dynamics. The SGIP provides a way to efficiently observe and quantify ice shelf stability. SGIP field testing will occur on the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS), near McMurdo Station, where two penetrators will be helicopter-dropped in the first season and allowed to operate over winter along with reference geodesic and seismic installations. The SGIP and reference equipment will be recovered in the second season.

Field Season Overview

One participant will deploy to McMurdo Station in late November. They will make three helicopter day trips to locations on the RIS where three SGIPs were dropped last season to overwinter. With the assistance of EarthScope personnel and an Antarctic Support Contract (ASC) mountaineer, the participant will dig out and recover the instruments for transport back to McMurdo Station and shipment off continent. This is the final season for D-550-M.

Deploying Team Members