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AGU: Geophysical Research Letters

 

Index Terms

  • Oceanography: General: Arctic and Antarctic oceanography
  • Oceanography: General: Continental shelf and slope processes
  • Oceanography: General: Instruments and techniques
  • Geographic Location: Antarctica

Abstract

GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 33, L08612, 4 PP., 2006
doi:10.1029/2006GL025998

Measurements beneath an Antarctic ice shelf using an autonomous underwater vehicle

K. W. Nicholls

British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK

E. P. Abrahamsen

British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK

J. J. H. Buck

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

P. A. Dodd

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

C. Goldblatt

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

G. Griffiths

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

K. J. Heywood

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

N. E. Hughes

Scottish Society for Marine Sciences, Dunstaffnage Laboratory, Argyll, UK

A. Kaletzky

Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

G. F. Lane-Serff

School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK

S. D. McPhail

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

N. W. Millard

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

K. I. C. Oliver

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

J. Perrett

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

M. R. Price

School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK

C. J. Pudsey

British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK

K. Saw

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

K. Stansfield

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

M. J. Stott

Kent, UK

P. Wadhams

Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK

A. T. Webb

National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, UK

J. P. Wilkinson

Scottish Society for Marine Sciences, Dunstaffnage Laboratory, Argyll, UK

The cavities beneath Antarctic ice shelves are among the least studied regions of the World Ocean, yet they are sites of globally important water mass transformations. Here we report results from a mission beneath Fimbul Ice Shelf of an autonomous underwater vehicle. The data reveal a spatially complex oceanographic environment, an ice base with widely varying roughness, and a cavity periodically exposed to water with a temperature significantly above the surface freezing point. The results of this, the briefest of glimpses of conditions in this extraordinary environment, are already reforming our view of the topographic and oceanographic conditions beneath ice shelves, holding out great promises for future missions from similar platforms.

Received 16 February 2006; accepted 21 March 2006; published 29 April 2006.

Citation: Nicholls, K. W., et al. (2006), Measurements beneath an Antarctic ice shelf using an autonomous underwater vehicle, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L08612, doi:10.1029/2006GL025998.

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