http://hdl.handle.net/2122/132 Search the Channel search http://www.earth-prints.org/simple-search http://hdl.handle.net/2122/4082 Title: Analysis of bottom morphology of the David Glacier-Drygalski Ice Tongue, East Antarctica <br/> <br/>Authors: Tabacco, I. E.; Sezione Geofisica, Dipartimento di Science della Terra, Università degli Studi di Milano, I-20129 Milano, Italy; Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Chiappini, M.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Zirizzotti, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia <br/> <br/>Abstract: Data from radio-sounding measurements have been analysed to determine the ice thickness and the bottom morphology of Drygalski Ice Tongue, Antarctica. The morphology and the structure of the bottom surface has been studied through an electromagnetic interpretation. A function that includes the gain/loss due to the geometrical shape of the reflecting surfaces has been calculated. Such a function has been evaluated assuming some physical electromagnetic quantities (the temperature of the glacier, the complex dielectric permittivity of ice, sea ice and sea water). The ice-water interface shows both concave and convex faces toward the sounding system, producing a focusing or defocusing effect, detected as absolute (or relative) amplitude variation in the echo signal. It is shown that the calculated function follows quite well the observed bottom rippled surface of the glacier tongue estimated from the time-arrival measurements of the echo signal. Fri, 29 Oct 1999 22:58:59 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2122/4066 Title: Snow dunes and glazed surfaces in Antarctica: new field and remote-sensing data <br/> <br/>Authors: Frezzotti, M.; ENEA, Centro Ricerche Casaccia, P.O. Box 2400, I-00100 Rome, Italy; Gandolfi, S.; DISTART, Università di Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, I-40136 Bologna, Italy; La Marca, F.; Dipartimento di ICMMPM, Università di Roma "La Sapienza", Via Eudossiana 18, I-00184 Rome, Italy; Urbini, S.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia <br/> <br/>Abstract: As part of the International Trans-Antarctic Scientific Expedition project, the Italian Antarctic Programme undertook two traverses from the Terra Nova station to Talos Dome and to Dome C. Along the traverses, the party carried out several tasks (drilling, glaciological and geophysical exploration). The difference in spectral response between glazed surfaces and snow makes it simple to identify these areas on visible/near-infrared satellite images. Integration of field observation and remotely sensed data allows the description of different mega-morphologic features: wide glazed surfaces, sastrugy glazed surface fields, transverse dunes and megadunes. Topography global positioning system, ground penetrating radar and detailed snow-surface surveys have been carried out, providing new information about the formation and evolution of mega-morphologic features. The extensive presence, (up to 30%) of glazed surface caused by a long hiatus in accumulation, with an accumulation rate of nil or slightly negative, has a significant impact on the surface mass balance of a wide area of the interior part of East Antarctica. The aeolian processes creating these features have important implications for the selection of optimum sites for ice coring, because orographic variations of even a few metres per kilometre have a significant impact on the snow-accumulation process. Remote-sensing surveys of aeolian macro-morphology provide a proven, high-quality method for detailed mapping of the interior of the ice sheet's prevalent wind direction and could provide a relative indication of wind intensity. Mon, 29 Oct 2001 22:58:59 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2122/4063 Title: Evidence of 14 New Subglacial Lakes in the Dome C-Vostok Area <br/> <br/>Authors: Tabacco, I. E.; Università degli Studi di Milano, Sezione Geofisica, Via Cicognara 7, 20129 Milano - Italy; Forieri, A.; Università degli Studi di Milano, Sezione Geofisica, Via Cicognara 7, 20129 Milano - Italy and Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Siena, Via del Laterino 8, 53100 Siena - Italy; Della Vedova, A.; Università degli Studi di Milano, Sezione Geofisica, Via Cicognara 7, 20129 Milano - Italy; Zirizzotti, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; De Michelis, P.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Passerini, A.; Università degli Studi di Milano Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1 , 20126 Milano - Italy <br/> <br/>Editors: Frezzotti, M.; ENEA Progetto Clima, PO Box 2400, 000100 Roma AD - Italy; Maggi, V.; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Milano–Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milan, Italy <br/> <br/>Abstract: In the last few years subglacial lakes have been of great interest to the scientific community for various reasons. The lakes could be an unknown extreme habitat, which have been isolated from the terrestrial biosphere for a long time. They may have formed before the ice sheet and could perhaps reveal environmental conditions prior to its formation. Lastly, they may play a role in the current dynamics of the ice sheet. Strong radar reflections from the base of the ice sheet can generally be ascribed to either water-saturated basal sediments or subglacial lakes (Oswald & Robin, 1973). Based on radar data alone, the identification of lakes is possible if other features are present: flat and quite horizontal reflectors with nearly constant echo intensity and sharp edges similar to the margins of a catchment basin (Siegert et al., 1996; Siegert & Ridley, 1998; German & Siegert, 1999; Siegert, 2000; Tabacco et al., 2002). Subglacial lakes can be expressed in the overlying ice sheet as extremely flat surfaces with respect to the surrounding slopes (Ridley et al., 1993; Kapitsa et &l996 ; Siegert & Ridley,1998; Tabacco et al., 2002). To date, about 70 lakes have been discovered in all of Antarctica (Siegert et al.,1996); 21 of these are located in the Dome C-Vostok region. Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:58:59 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/2122/4062 Title: Reflecting Sub-Ice Surfaces Observed by Radio Echo Sounding System <br/> <br/>Authors: Bianchi, C.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; De Michelis, P.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Sciacca, U.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma1, Roma, Italia; Tabacco, I. E.; Università di Milano - Sezione Geofisica, Milano - Italy; Zirizzotti, A.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia; Zuccheretti, E.; Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione Roma2, Roma, Italia <br/> <br/>Editors: Frezzotti, M.; ENEA Progetto Clima, PO Box 2400, 000100 Roma AD - Italy; Maggi, V.; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Milano–Bicocca, Piazza della Scienza 1, I-20126 Milan, Italy <br/> <br/>Abstract: The reflection coefficient (R) at the interface of two media provides information on their electromagnetic nature. If the first medium is known, e.g. air (or ice, that in a broad interval of physical conditions maintains certain propagative characteristics nearly constant), the electromagnetic properties of the second medium can be determined. Hence, the ice/seawater, ice/water and ice/rock interfaces exhibit different reflection coefficients which can be detected by means of a RES system (Tabacco et al., 1999; Tabacco et al., 2000). The length of the radio wave does not allow the employment of sophisticated antennas, and so folded dipoles are arranged beneath the wings of the aircraft. As a consequence, the transmitted radio wave beam illuminates a relatively large area, and the power of the echo signal greatly depends on the shape of the reflecting surfaces. An electromagnetic analysis shows that, in certain conditions, the variations in amplitude detected by the system are mainly due to focusing or defocusing effects determined by the shape of the reflectors (Bianchi et al., 2001; Tabacco et al., 1999). Tue, 29 Oct 2002 22:58:59 GMT