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Victoria University Antarctic Research Expedition Science and Logistics Reports 2003-04: VUWAE 48

Mt Erebus Saddle

Mt Erebus Saddle

Mt Erebus Saddle is one of the three drilling targets planned for season 2004/05. Due to bad weather that shortened the field time available, we were not able to set up camp at this site. A one-day site reconnaissance included a GPS and GRP survey and initial investigation of the snow properties from a shallow snow pit and core. The results from this initial investigation suggest that the proposed drilling site has the necessary characteristics for a suitable drilling site.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR)

As bad weather prohibited a full camp set-up at Mt Erebus Saddle the GPR measurement was done by manhauling a lightweight version of our Evans Piedmont Glacier GPR setup (Fig.7). For this reason only one 35MHz antenna was used. An example of the raw data is shown in Fig.7. A strong bedrock reflection indicates that ice depth exceeds 200m. The prominent isochrones seen at about 50m are potentially tephra layers. The sparse coverage does not permit investigating spatial accumulation pattern. However, the persistence of isochrones throughout the profile, their horizontal direction and the total depth of the glacier at the proposed drilling site indicate promising characteristics for a potential ice core record from Mt Erebus Saddle.

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Fig.7: Manhaul of a lightweight GPR and high resolution GPS equipment (right). Radar profile from Mt Erebus Saddle showing bedrock topography, ice thickness and internal flow structures (left).

Fig.7: Manhaul of a lightweight GPR and high resolution GPS equipment (right). Radar profile from Mt Erebus Saddle showing bedrock topography, ice thickness and internal flow structures (left).

Analyses of Snow Properties

While high resolution snow sampling was not possible in the time available, investigation of a 2.50m firn core and a 1m deep snow pit indicates that Mt Erebus Saddle is a high accumulation site, likely in excess of 40cm water equivalent per year. For this reason Mt Erebus Saddle potentially contains a climate record of sub-seasonal resolution.