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

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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