HR: 0800h
AN: C51B-0385    [Abstracts]
TI: ESTIMATION OF ACCUMULATION RATES ON THE CATCHMENT OF THWAITES GLACIER, WEST ANTARCTICA
AU: * Leuro, E
EM: erickleuro@mail.utexas.edu
AF: University of Texas at Austin, Institute for Geophysics; J.J. Pickle Research Campus, Bldg. 196; 10100 Burnet Road (R2200); Austin TX 78758-4445, Austin, TX 78758, United States
AU: Blankenship, D
EM: blank@ig.utexas.edu
AU: Young, D
EM: dunc@ig.utexas.edu
AB: West Antarctica has been found to be experiencing rapid changes of ice dynamics as a response of rapid climate changes in the past century, therefore the assessment of mass balance is a priority for different scientific communities. To assess the problem of mass influx, we construct a map of snow accumulation rates over the catchment of Thwaties Glacier, West Antarctica, based on a least square inversion of mass influx along flow lines. The data parameters are surface velocities and shallow internal isochron layers traced from radio echo soundings (UTIG-AGASEA survey 2004-2005). Our calculations account for firn compaction, convergence and divergence of ice flow as well high velocities over the ice trunk. As an assessment of mass balance in Thwaites Glacier, we compare our estimates of ice influx, which represents thousand years of accumulation, against published data of mass outflux.
DE: 0762 Mass balance (1218, 1223)
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting