Periodic Surface Features in Coastal East Antarctica.

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • H. Anschütz - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • O. Eisen - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, ETH Zurich (Author)
  • W. Rack - , Alfred Wegener Institute - Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (Author)
  • M. Scheinert - , Institute of Planetary Geodesy (Author)

Abstract

We found evidence for highly periodic dunes in a near-coastal area of Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. Analysis of accumulation patterns, derived from ground-penetrating radar (GPR) internal layering, and GPS-based characteristics of surface topography, by means of auto- and cross-covariance, indicate quasi-harmonic oscillations of surface undulations, surface slope, and accumulation. The dunes occur at an elevation range of 1000-1350 m with the dominant wavelength of 5 km and undulations of ~10 m. Accumulation and slope are anticorrelated at zero lag, with a mean annual accumulation of some 140 kg m-2 yr-1 and variations on the order of +/-100 kg m-2 yr-1. Our findings have implications for studies aiming at the mass balance of coastal areas in Antarctica.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numberL22501
Number of pages5
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume33
Issue number22
Publication statusPublished - 25 Nov 2006
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

Scopus 34548596670
ORCID /0000-0002-0892-8941/work/142248870

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