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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 1984-85: VUWAE 29

Aeolian Sediment

Aeolian Sediment

This season we attempted to determine the abundance of aeolian debris on the sea ice at eight sites within Granite Harbour.

Fine and very find sand accumulates on the surface of the sea ice and, therefore, when collected in late November, represents the amount blown there since the sea ice had formed (early winter?).

At each site, a 5 × 2 m area was staked out perpendicular to the dominant wind direction. Surface snow (varying in depth from 0.01 to 0.12 m) and the top 0.02 m of sea ice (which was chipped off) was collected and melted in a copper drum using a petrol immersion heater. Some contamination from flaking paint proved unavoidable. Preliminary results are tabulated below.

In general, sediment abundance varies with proximity to source with some samples having a high mud component as a result of diatoms frozen into the top 0.02 m of the sea ice.

page 17

For a few months each year, the harbour is ice free, and windblown sediment passes directly into the system. During the rest of the year, the harbour is ice covered and, therefore, collected windblown sediment could be rafted out of the system as the sea ice breaks up.

Considering the average weight for 10 m2, there is an input of approximately 23 × 103 tonnes/annum onto the sea ice or directly into the system.

Table 8 Aeolian Sediment
Site Wt. collected material/10 m2
84-1 23.09 gms
84-2 26.86
84-8 18.44
84-9 215.19
84-11 288.81
84-14 15.09
84-15 54.0
Averages Sites 1; 2; 8; 14; 15 = 27.5/All sites = 91.64