Rückamp, Martin; Braun, Matthias Holger; Suckro, Sonja K; Blindow, Norbert (2011): Mass balance measurements on King George Island ice cap in 2007 and 2008 [dataset]. PANGAEA, https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.773308, Supplement to: Rückamp, M et al. (2011): Observed glacial changes on the King George Island ice cap, Antarctica, in the last decade. Global and Planetary Change, 79(1-2), 99-109, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2011.06.009
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Abstract:
The Antarctic Peninsula has been identified as a region of rapid on-going climate change with impacts on the cryosphere. The knowledge of glacial changes and freshwater budgets resulting from intensified glacier melt is an important boundary condition for many biological and integrated earth system science approaches. We provide a case study on glacier and mass balance changes for the ice cap of King George Island. The area loss between 2000 and 2008 amounted to about 20 km**2 (about 1.6% of the island area) and compares to glacier retreat rates observed in previous years. Measured net accumulation rates for two years (2007 and 2008) show a strong interannual variability with maximum net accumulation rates of 4950 mm w.e./a and 3184 mm w.e./a, respectively. These net accumulation rates are at least 4 times higher than reported mean values (1926-95) from an ice core. An elevation dependent precipitation rate of 343 mm w.e./a (2007) and 432 mm w.e./a (2008) per 100 m elevation increase was observed. Despite these rather high net accumulation rates on the main ice cap, consistent surface lowering was observed at elevations below 270 m above ellipsoid over an 11-year period. These DGPS records reveal a linear dependence of surface lowering with altitude with a maximum annual surface lowering rate of 1.44 m/a at 40 m and -0.20 m/a at 270 m above ellipsoid. These results fit well to observations by other authors and surface lowering rates derived from the ICESat laser altimeter. Assuming that climate conditions of the past 11 years continue, the small ice cap of Bellingshausen Dome will disappear in about 285 years.
Project(s):
Funding:
German Research Foundation (DFG), grant/award no. 5472008: Priority Programme 1158 Antarctic Research with Comparable Investigations in Arctic Sea Ice Areas
Coverage:
Median Latitude: -62.068374 * Median Longitude: -58.510997 * South-bound Latitude: -62.139620 * West-bound Longitude: -58.765030 * North-bound Latitude: -61.973930 * East-bound Longitude: -58.241760
Date/Time Start: 2007-01-01T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2008-01-01T00:00:00
Minimum ELEVATION: 390 m a.s.l. * Maximum ELEVATION: 691 m a.s.l.
Event(s):
Comment:
We provide mass balance measurements on the King George Island ice cap on several locations for two subsequent time periods. The measured net accumulation rates for two years (2007 and 2008) show a strong interannual variability with maximum net accumulation rates of 4950 mm w.e. a^-1 and 3184 mm w.e. a^-1, respectively. These net accumulation rates are at least 4 times higher than reported mean values (1926-95) from an ice core. An elevation dependent precipitation rate of 343 mm w.e. a^-1 (2007) and 432 mm w.e. a^-1 (2008) per 100 m elevation increase was observed.
Parameter(s):
| # | Name | Short Name | Unit | Principal Investigator | Method/Device | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DATE/TIME | Date/Time | Geocode | |||
| 2 | LATITUDE | Latitude | Geocode | |||
| 3 | LONGITUDE | Longitude | Geocode | |||
| 4 | UTM Northing, Universal Transverse Mercator | UTM north | m | Rückamp, Martin | ||
| 5 | UTM Easting, Universal Transverse Mercator | UTM east | m | Rückamp, Martin | ||
| 6 | UTM Zone, Universal Transverse Mercator | UTM Zone | Rückamp, Martin | |||
| 7 | ELEVATION | Elevation | m a.s.l. | Geocode | ||
| 8 | Mass balance in water equivalent per year | MB | mm w.e./a | Rückamp, Martin |
License:
Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC-BY-3.0)
Size:
124 data points
Data
| 1 Date/Time | 2 Latitude | 3 Longitude | 4 UTM north [m] | 5 UTM east [m] | 6 UTM Zone | 7 Elevation [m a.s.l.] | 8 MB [mm w.e./a] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | -62.13163 | -58.76503 | 407960 | 3109903 | 21E | 390 | 3680 |
| 2007 | -62.10121 | -58.70281 | 411115 | 3113378 | 21E | 417 | 4120 |
| 2007 | -62.09452 | -58.65799 | 413435 | 3114183 | 21E | 488 | 3756 |
| 2007 | -62.13962 | -58.72745 | 409943 | 3109065 | 21E | 489 | 3735 |
| 2007 | -62.11401 | -58.57761 | 417684 | 3112117 | 21E | 552 | 3976 |
| 2007 | -62.10624 | -58.58332 | 417365 | 3112975 | 21E | 568 | 4839 |
| 2007 | -62.06893 | -58.59818 | 416487 | 3117112 | 21E | 612 | 4634 |
| 2007 | -62.13131 | -58.66848 | 412993 | 3110072 | 21E | 622 | 3994 |
| 2007 | -62.12857 | -58.58744 | 417211 | 3110483 | 21E | 631 | 4388 |
| 2007 | -62.11921 | -58.60038 | 416510 | 3111509 | 21E | 639 | 5047 |
| 2007 | -61.97393 | -58.33533 | 430003 | 3128004 | 21E | 428 | 3891 |
| 2007 | -61.99154 | -58.37435 | 427999 | 3126000 | 21E | 434 | 3942 |
| 2007 | -62.00905 | -58.41344 | 425994 | 3124006 | 21E | 454 | 3361 |
| 2007 | -62.00950 | -58.37516 | 427999 | 3123998 | 21E | 515 | 4178 |
| 2007 | -61.99191 | -58.33619 | 429999 | 3126000 | 21E | 520 | 4321 |
| 2007 | -61.97433 | -58.29734 | 431995 | 3128000 | 21E | 538 | 3639 |
| 2007 | -61.99231 | -58.29793 | 432004 | 3125997 | 21E | 561 | 4180 |
| 2007 | -62.01062 | -58.26062 | 433998 | 3123996 | 21E | 593 | 4950 |
| 2007 | -62.00981 | -58.33705 | 429995 | 3124006 | 21E | 594 | 4157 |
| 2007 | -62.01978 | -58.24176 | 435005 | 3122994 | 21E | 627 | 4574 |
| 2007 | -62.04589 | -58.31934 | 431004 | 3120006 | 21E | 652 | 4288 |
| 2007 | -62.01943 | -58.28002 | 433002 | 3122994 | 21E | 658 | 4911 |
| 2007 | -62.04630 | -58.28109 | 433005 | 3120000 | 21E | 691 | 4279 |
| 2008 | -62.13163 | -58.76503 | 407960 | 3109903 | 21E | 390 | 3184 |
| 2008 | -62.10121 | -58.70281 | 411115 | 3113378 | 21E | 417 | 1639 |
| 2008 | -62.09452 | -58.65799 | 413435 | 3114183 | 21E | 488 | 1854 |
| 2008 | -62.13962 | -58.72745 | 409943 | 3109065 | 21E | 489 | 1574 |
| 2008 | -62.10624 | -58.58332 | 417365 | 3112975 | 21E | 568 | 2244 |
| 2008 | -62.06893 | -58.59818 | 416487 | 3117112 | 21E | 612 | 2611 |
| 2008 | -62.12857 | -58.58744 | 417211 | 3110483 | 21E | 631 | 2133 |
| 2008 | -62.11921 | -58.60038 | 416510 | 3111509 | 21E | 639 | 2590 |