Ice thickness, areal and volumetric changes of Davies Dome and Whisky Glacier (James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula) in 1979–2006

Abstract

AbstractThis study calculates area, volume and elevation changes of two glaciers on James Ross Island, Antarctica, during the period 1979-2006. Davies Dome is a small ice cap. Whisky Glacier is a valley glacier. Ground-penetrating radar surveys indicate ice thickness, which was used for calculations of the bed topography and volume of both glaciers. Maximum measured ice thicknesses of Davies Dome and Whisky Glacier are 83 ± 2 and 157 ± 2 m, respectively. Between 1979 and 2006, the area of the ice cap decreased from 6.23 ± 0.05 km2 to 4.94 ± 0.01 km2 (-20.7%), while the area of the valley glacier reduced from 2.69 ± 0.02 km2 to 2.40 ± 0.01 km2 (-10.6%). Over the same period the volume of the ice cap and valley glacier reduced from 0.23 ± 0.03 km3 to 0.16 ± 0.02 km3 (-30.4%) and from 0.27 ± 0.02 km3 to 0.24 ± 0.01 km3 (-10.6%), respectively. The mean surface elevation decreased by 8.5±2.8 and 10.1 ±2.8m. The average areal (~0.048-0.011 km2a-1) and volumetric (~0.003−0.001 km3 a-1) changes are higher than the majority of other estimates from Antarctic Peninsula glaciers.