Basal conditions on Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica

Abstract

A campaign of glaciological and geophysical data acquisition was conducted on Pine Island Glacier in 2011-12 to investigate ice dynamics and subglacial conditions. A passive seismic array, using NERC GEF equipment, was deployed in support of active-source seismic experiments. Clear seismic events from the ice-bed interface were detected on all stations. Some periods of enhanced noise degrade up to 30% of the recording period and the source of this is being investigated further. Basal seismicity was found to be less than that beneath a comparable glacier, in both event frequency and amplitude, and is consistent with a glacier bed comprising soft, water-saturated deforming sediments.