Analysis of bottom morphology of the David Glacier-Drygalski Ice Tongue, East Antarctica

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.