Search

This paper presents estimates of detailed seasonal variations in ice-flow velocity for Shirase Glacier calculated using data obtained by Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR). We used 12 pairs of images (44-day repeat cycle) over the interval from 30 April 1996 to 1 July 1998 to estimate ice-flow fields using an image correlation method. Geometric registration was performed with reference to the RADARSAT Antarctic Mapping Project (RAMP) image dataset. Error analysis based on feature mismatch indicated an absolute error of ±0.30 km/a and relative error of ±0.04 km/a in the estimated flow velocity. The obtained ice-flow velocity increases rapidly from the upstream region (1.18 km/a) to the grounding line, where it becomes stagnant (2.32 km/a), before accelerating gradually to 2.62–2.82 km/a in the downstream region and then increasing to 3.05–3.50 km/a at the terminus of the floating ice tongue. The ice-flow velocities in the downstream region are highly variable, depending on both the distance from the grounding line and the observed epoch (season). Most of the obtained seasonal variations in ice-flow velocity at the floating ice tongue are within the range of the associated error estimate, but the annual difference between 1997 (3.11 km/a) and 1998 (3.50 km/a) is significant, reflecting a possible acceleration in the ice-flow velocity in association with the disappearance of the floating ice tongue between April and May of 1998. In terms of the summer–winter difference in averaged air temperature, the large difference recorded in 1997 (17.0 °C) relative to 1996 (13.9 °C) corresponds to a reduced ice-flow velocity in 1997 (approximately 0.20 km/a) relative to that in 1996 (approximately 0.30 km/a), indicating interactions between air, sea ice, and glacier flow in Lutzow-Holm Bay.

We applied an image correlation method to Japanese Earth Resources Satellite-1 (JERS-1) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data obtained from 1996 to 1998 to examine flow velocity within Shirase Glacier, Antarctica. From the grounding line to the downstream region of the glacier, the obtained ice-flow velocity was systematically higher on the western streamline than the eastern. The differences between the two streamlines were 0.31 km/a in 1996 and 0.37 km/a in 1998, significantly larger than the error estimate of 0.03 km/a. The direction of ice flow was about 312° at the grounding line and changed to 327° at 10 km, 346° at 20 km and 2° at 30 km downstream from the grounding line. The total accumulated deflection is 50° to the east. Under the assumption of the conservation of ice mass across the glacier, the observed eastward change in flow direction can be explained by an asymmetric deepening of bedrock topography, that is, across the 8 km width of the glacier, the eastern side is 50 m (10%) deeper than the western side. This eastward turning of flow direction appears to be accelerated by tributary inlets, that flow to the north and northeast at 60–75% of the velocity of inlets on the western streamline.

Monthly gravity solutions of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) reveal three areas in Antarctica with striking interannual mass trends. The positive mass trend in Enderby Land, East Antarctica, is poorly understood because of uncertainties in the surface ice-sheet mass balance, post-glacial rebound (PGR), and processing of GRACE data. In this study, we compare the GRACE mass trends with values estimated from in situ snow-stake measurements, and Ice Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) data. The mass trends estimated from ICESat data show a strong correlation with GRACE mass trends. In contrast, the snow-stake data show discrepancies with temporal variations in GRACE mass, especially in 2006. The discrepancies are probably associated with basal ice-sheet outflow, which is difficult to observe using snow stakes. We conclude that the bulk of the GRACE mass trend can be explained by snow accumulation and basal ice-sheet outflow.