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Evidence of 14 New Subglacial Lakes in the Dome C-Vostok Area
Author(s)
Type
Conference paper
Language
English
Obiettivo Specifico
3.8. Geofisica per l'ambiente
Status
Published
Conference Name
Issued date
2003
Conference Location
Milan, 25-26 June 2002 / Dipartimento di Scienze Ambiente e Territorio (DISAT), Università di Milano Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 1, 20126 Milano
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.
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.
References
Gorman M.R. & Siegert M.J., 1999. Penetration of Antarctic subglacial lakes by VHF electromagnetic pulses:
Information on the depth and electrical conductivity of basal water bodies. Journal of Geophysical Research,
104(B12), 2931 1-29320.
Kapitsa A.P., Ridley J.K., Robin G. De Q., Siegert M.J. and Zotikov I.A. 1996. A large deep freshwater lake beneath
the ice of central East Antarctica. Nature, 381, 684-686.
Oswald G.K.A. & Robin G. cle Q., 1973. Lakes beneath the Antarctic Ice sheet. Nature, 245, 25 1-254, 1973.
Ridley J.K., Cudlip W. & Laxon S.W., 1993. Identification of subglacial lakes using ERS-1 radar altimeter. Journal of
Glaciology. 39, 625-634.
Siegert M.J., Dowdeswell J.A., Gorman M.R. & McIntyre N.F., 1996. An inventory of Antarctic subglacial lakes.
Antarctic Science, 8, 281-286.
Siegert M.J. & Ridley J.K., 1998. Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antartica using
satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding. Journal of Glaciology, 44, 1-8.
Siegert M.J., Kwok R., Mayer C., Hubbard B.. 2000. Water exchange between the subglacial Lake Vostok and the
overlying ice sheet. Nature, 403, 643-646.
Tabacco I.E., C. Bianchi, Achille Zirizzotti, E. Zuccheretti, A. Forieri &A. Della Vedova, 2002. Airborne radar survey
above Vostok region, East Central Antarctica: ice thickness and Lake Vostok geometry. Journal of Glacioloey, 48,
62-69.
Information on the depth and electrical conductivity of basal water bodies. Journal of Geophysical Research,
104(B12), 2931 1-29320.
Kapitsa A.P., Ridley J.K., Robin G. De Q., Siegert M.J. and Zotikov I.A. 1996. A large deep freshwater lake beneath
the ice of central East Antarctica. Nature, 381, 684-686.
Oswald G.K.A. & Robin G. cle Q., 1973. Lakes beneath the Antarctic Ice sheet. Nature, 245, 25 1-254, 1973.
Ridley J.K., Cudlip W. & Laxon S.W., 1993. Identification of subglacial lakes using ERS-1 radar altimeter. Journal of
Glaciology. 39, 625-634.
Siegert M.J., Dowdeswell J.A., Gorman M.R. & McIntyre N.F., 1996. An inventory of Antarctic subglacial lakes.
Antarctic Science, 8, 281-286.
Siegert M.J. & Ridley J.K., 1998. Determining basal ice-sheet conditions in the Dome C region of East Antartica using
satellite radar altimetry and airborne radio-echo sounding. Journal of Glaciology, 44, 1-8.
Siegert M.J., Kwok R., Mayer C., Hubbard B.. 2000. Water exchange between the subglacial Lake Vostok and the
overlying ice sheet. Nature, 403, 643-646.
Tabacco I.E., C. Bianchi, Achille Zirizzotti, E. Zuccheretti, A. Forieri &A. Della Vedova, 2002. Airborne radar survey
above Vostok region, East Central Antarctica: ice thickness and Lake Vostok geometry. Journal of Glacioloey, 48,
62-69.
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