Current Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access

Rift Assessment and Potential Calving Zone of Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica


Affiliations
1 Geology Department, M.G. Science Institute, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009,, India
2 Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Jodhpura Tekra, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
 

Ice shelves line the peripheries of Antarctica. Rift and crevasses are two main deformational structures affecting ice shelf stability. The present study deals with propagation-widening of five active rifts and future potential calving zones on Amery Ice Shelf (AIS), East Antarctica, between 2000 and 2017 using moderate resolution image spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. The widening and rift propagating rate, as well as advancement in AIS show abnormal behaviour. The expansion of AIS differs across the shelf. The highest rate of advancement was observed in 2012–2013 (~517 sq. km) and the lowest was observed in 2000– 2001 (~35 sq. km). The rift system shows variability in its proportion and having poor relationship with environmental processes, which suggests heterogeneities in the AIS. The abnormal behaviour of rift propagation during the study period can be attributed to tsunamis, tide, current action, crevasses pattern and icequakes in the vicinity of the study region.

Keywords

Amery Ice Shelf–Lambert Glacier System, Rift System, Potential Calving Zone.
User
Notifications
Font Size

  • Bassis, J., Coleman, R., Fricker, H. and Minster, J., Australian Antarctic Division: Leading Australia’s Antarctic Program, 2003; www.AustralianAntarcticDivision.com

  • Walker, C., Bassis, J., Fricker, H. and Czerwinski, R., Observation of interannual and spatial variablity in rift propagation in the Amery Ice Shelf, Antarctica, 2002–14. J. Glaciol., 2015, 61(226), 243–252.

  • Jacobs, S., MacAyeal, D. and Ardal, J., The recent advance of the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica. J. Galciol., 1986, 32(112), 464–474.

  • Lazzara, M., Jezek, K., Scambos, T., MacAyeal, D. and Van der Veen, C., On the recent calving of icebergs from the Ross Ice Shelf. Polar Geography, 1999, 23(3), 201–212.

  • Jayaprasad, P., Ahmed, T., Maity, S. and Misra, A., Breaking of Larsen C from Antarctica. Curr. Sci., 2018, 114(5), 961–962.

  • Bassis, J., Fricker, H., Coleman, R. and Minster, J., An investigation into the forces that drive ice-shef rift propagation on the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. J. Glaciol., 2008, 54(184), 17–27; doi:10.3189/002214308784409116.

  • Fricker, H., Young, N., Coleman, R., Bassis, J. and Minster, J., Multi-year monitoring of rift propagation on the Amery Ice Shelf. Geophys. Res. Lett., 2005, 32; doi:10.1029/2004GL021036.

  • Bassis, J., Coleman, R., Fricker, H. and Minster, J., Episodic propagation of a rift on the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica. Geophys. Res. Lett., 2005, 32; doi:10.1029/2004GL022048.

  • Griggs, J. and Bamber, J., Antarctica ice-shelf thickness from satellite radar altimetry. J. Glaciol., 2011, 57(203), 485–498.

  • Budd, W., The dynamics of Amery Ice Shelf. J. Glaciol., 1966, 335–358.

  • Bassis, J., Fricker, H., Coleman, R., Bock, Y., Behrens, J., Darnell, D. and Minster, J., Seismicity and deformation associated with ice-shelf rift propagation. J. Glaciol., 2007, 53, 523–536.

  • Walker, C., Bassis, J., Fricker, H. and Czerwinski, R., Structural and environmental controls on Antarctic ice shelf rift propagation inferred from satellite monitoring. Geophys. Res. Lett., 2013, 118(4), 2354–2364; doi:10.1002/2013jf002742.

  • Pittard, M. L., Roberts, J. L., Warner, R. C., Galton-Fenzi, B. K., Watson, C. S. and Coleman, R., Flow of the Amery Ice Shelf and its tributary glaciers. In 18th Australasian Fluid Mechanics Conference, Launceston, Australia, 2012.

  • Voytenko, D., Stern, A., Holland, D., Dixon, T., Christianson, K. and Walker, R., Tidally driven ice speed variation at Helheim Glacier, Greenland, observed with terrestrial radar interferometry. J. Glaciol., 2015, 61(226), 301–308.

  • Diandong, R. and Lance, L., Effects of Waves on Tabular IceShelf Calving. Earth Interact., 2014, 18.

  • Jayaprasad, P., Rajak, D., Singh, R., Oza, S., Sharma, R. and Sharma, R., Ice calving and deformation from Antarctica ice margins using RISAT-1 circular polarization SAR data. The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, XL-8, 2014.

  • Larour, E., Rignot, E. and Aubry, D., Modelling of rift propagation on Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and sensitivity to climate change. Geophys. Res. Lett., 2004, 31(16); doi:10.1029/ 2004GL020077.

  • Oza, S., Spatial-temporal patterns of surface melting observed over Antarctica ice shelves using scatterometer data. Antarct. Sci., 2015, 27(4), 403–410; doi:10.1017/S0954102014000832.

  • Fricker, H., Coleman, R., Padman, L., Scambos, T., Bohlander, J. and Brunt, K., Mapping the grounding zone of the Amery Ice Shelf East Antarctica using InSAR, MODIS and ICESat. Antarct. Sci., 2009, 515–532; doi:10.1017/S095410200999023X.


Abstract Views: 318

PDF Views: 135




  • Rift Assessment and Potential Calving Zone of Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica

Abstract Views: 318  |  PDF Views: 135

Authors

Simone Darji
Geology Department, M.G. Science Institute, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009,, India
Sandip R. Oza
Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Jodhpura Tekra, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
R. D. Shah
Geology Department, M.G. Science Institute, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad 380 009,, India
B. P. Rathore
Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Jodhpura Tekra, Ahmedabad 380 015, India
I. M. Bahuguna
Space Applications Centre, ISRO, Jodhpura Tekra, Ahmedabad 380 015, India

Abstract


Ice shelves line the peripheries of Antarctica. Rift and crevasses are two main deformational structures affecting ice shelf stability. The present study deals with propagation-widening of five active rifts and future potential calving zones on Amery Ice Shelf (AIS), East Antarctica, between 2000 and 2017 using moderate resolution image spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. The widening and rift propagating rate, as well as advancement in AIS show abnormal behaviour. The expansion of AIS differs across the shelf. The highest rate of advancement was observed in 2012–2013 (~517 sq. km) and the lowest was observed in 2000– 2001 (~35 sq. km). The rift system shows variability in its proportion and having poor relationship with environmental processes, which suggests heterogeneities in the AIS. The abnormal behaviour of rift propagation during the study period can be attributed to tsunamis, tide, current action, crevasses pattern and icequakes in the vicinity of the study region.

Keywords


Amery Ice Shelf–Lambert Glacier System, Rift System, Potential Calving Zone.

References





DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv115%2Fi9%2F1799-1804