Abstract:The contribution to sea level rise from Patagonian icefields is one of the largest mass losses outside the large ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland. However, only a few studies have provided large-scale assessments in a spatially detailed way to address the reaction of individual glaciers in Patagonia and hence to better understand and explain the underlying processes. In this work, we use repeat radar interferometric measurements of the German TerraSAR-X-Add-on for Digital Elevation Measurements (TanDEM-X) satellite constellation between 2011/12 and 2016 together with the digital elevation model from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) in 2000 in order to derive surface elevation and mass changes of the Southern Patagonia Icefield (SPI). Our results reveal a mass loss rate of −11.84 ± 3.3 Gt·a −1 (corresponding to 0.033 ± 0.009 mm·a −1 sea level rise) for an area of 12573 km 2 in the period 2000-2015/16. This equals a specific glacier mass balance of −0.941 ± 0.19 m w.e.·a −1 for the whole SPI. These values are comparable with previous estimates since the 1970s, but a magnitude larger than mass change rates reported since the Little Ice Age. The spatial pattern reveals that not all glaciers respond similarly to changes and that various factors need to be considered in order to explain the observed changes. Our multi-temporal coverage of the southern part of the SPI (south of 50.3 • S) shows that the mean elevation change rates do not vary significantly over time below the equilibrium line. However, we see indications for more positive mass balances due to possible precipitation increase in 2014 and 2015. We conclude that bi-static radar interferometry is a suitable tool to accurately measure glacier volume and mass changes in frequently cloudy regions. We recommend regular repeat TanDEM-X acquisitions to be scheduled for the maximum summer melt extent in order to minimize the effects of radar signal penetration and to increase product quality.

Data collected from a voyage of RV Nathaniel B. Palmer to the Bellingshausen and Amundsen Seas during August–September 1993 are used to investigate the thickness distribution of sea ice and snow cover and the processes that influence the development of the first‐year pack ice. The data are a combination of in situ and ship‐based measurements and show that the process of floe thickening is highly dependent on ice deformation; in particular, rafting and ridging play important roles at different stages of floe development. Rafting is the major mechanism in the early stages of development, and core structure data show the mean thickness of individual layers of crystals to be only 0.12 m. Most ice <0.3 m is not ridged but is usually rafted before attaining this thickness, well before thermodynamic growth has ceased. In thicker floes, ridging is more common, with most floes >0.6 m having some surface deformation. Blocks within ridge sails are typically in the range 0.3–0.6 m thick, and ship‐based observations estimate approximately 25% of the pack exhibits surface ridging. When corrected for biases in the observational methods, the data show that the dominant ice and snow thickness categories are >0.7 m and 0.2–0.5 m, respectively, and account for 40% and 36% of the surface area of the pack ice. Approximately 8% of the pack is open water. An estimate of the effects of ridging on the distribution of ice mass within the pack suggests that between 50 and 75% of the total mass is contained within the 25% of the pack that exhibits surface ridging.

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Changes in the ice fronts on the Antarctic Peninsula north of 70˚S are currently being investigated through a comprehensive analysis of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) and Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data as part of the international research initiative 'Global land Ice Measurements from Space' (GLIMS). Regional case studies are presented that cover a variety of glacial systems distributed over the northern Antarctic Peninsula and provide data on glacier front variations during the period 1986-2002. The results confirm a general trend of regional glacier front recession, but a range of different glacier variations are observed throughout the study area. Areas of predominant retreat are located in the northeastern and southwestern sectors, while stationary ice fronts characterize glacial behaviour on the northwestern coast of the peninsula. In addition, a significant increase in glacier recession is identified on James Ross Island, where retreat rates doubled during the period 1988-2001 compared to the previous investigation period, 1975-88. These observations are interpreted as being direct consequences of the rapidly changing climate in the region, which differentially affects the local accumulation and ablation patterns of the glacial systems.