Basal conditions on Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica
2013

This is a Full Scientific Report resulting from NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility Loan 936, principal investigator Dr Andy Smith.
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.
Full Report
Cite as:
Smith, A.M., "Basal conditions on Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica", NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility, Scientific Report 936, 2013
Selected external publications resulting from this GEF loan
- Smith, E.C., 2016, Microseismicity and the dynamics of Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica, University of Cambridge, PhD Thesis
- Harland, S.R., Kendall, J.-M., Stuart, G.W., Lloyd, G.E., Baird, A.F., Smith, A.M., Pritchard, H.D. and Brisbourne, A.M., 2013, Deformation in Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica: measuring shear-wave anisotropy from icequakes, Annals of Glaciology, 54(64), pp105-114, doi: 10.3189/2013AoG64A033
- Smith, A.M., Jordan, T.A., Ferraccioli, F. and Bingham, R.G., 2013, Influence of subglacial conditions on ice stream dynamics: Seismic and potential field data from Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 118, pp1471-1482, doi: 10.1029/2012JB009582
