An Ablation Rate for Lake Fryxell, Victoria Land, Antarctica

Henderson, R. A.; Prebble, W. M.; Hoare, R. A.; Popplewell, K. B.; House, D. A.; Wilson, A. T.

doi:10.3189/s0022143000019110

Cited by 6 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…This value is comparable to the ablation rates reported for Lake Fryxell (30 cm&, Henderson et al, 1965) and predicted for Lake Hoare from meteorological data (35 cm/yr) by Clow et al (in press (1985) to include time dependent effects such as seasonal changes in sunlight and ablation. This value is comparable to the ablation rates reported for Lake Fryxell (30 cm&, Henderson et al, 1965) and predicted for Lake Hoare from meteorological data (35 cm/yr) by Clow et al (in press (1985) to include time dependent effects such as seasonal changes in sunlight and ablation.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 87%

Perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica: physical environment, biology and sedimentation

1989

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Lake Hoare (77 degrees 38' S, 162 degrees 53' E) is a perennially ice-covered lake at the eastern end of Taylor Valley in southern Victoria Land, Antarctica. The environment of this lake is controlled by the relatively thick ice cover (3-5 m) which eliminates wind generated currents, restricts gas exchange and sediment deposition, and reduces light penetration. The ice cover is in turn largely controlled by the extreme seasonality of Antarctica and local climate. Lake Hoare and other dry valley lakes may be sensitive indicators of short term (< 100 yr) climatic and/or anthropogenic changes in the dry valleys since the onset of intensive exploration over 30 years ago. The time constants for turnover of the water column and lake ice are 50 and 10 years, respectively. The turnover time for atmospheric gases in the lake is 30-60 years. Therefore, the lake environment responds to changes on a 10-100 year timescale. Because the ice cover has a controlling influence on the lake (e.g. light penetration, gas content of water, and sediment deposition), it is probable that small changes in ice ablation, sediment loading on the ice cover, or glacial meltwater (or groundwater) inflow will affect ice cover dynamics and will have a major impact on the lake environment and biota.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 87%

Perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica: physical environment, biology and sedimentation

1989

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“…Limited precipitation data suggest that the mean annual precipitation is received only as snow and is <100 mm, water equivalent, with as little as 7 mm recorded by direct observations [ Bromley , 1985]. This value is well below measured ablation rates which have ranged from 150 to >1000 mm a −1 [ Hendersen et al , 1965; Clow et al , 1988; P. T. Doran, unpublished data, 2002]. The low precipitation relative to potential evaporation, low surface albedo, and dry katabatic winds descending from the Polar Plateau result in extremely arid conditions [ Clow et al , 1988].…”

Section: Site Descriptionmentioning

confidence: 70%

Valley floor climate observations from the McMurdo dry valleys, Antarctica, 1986–2000

et al. 2002

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[1] Climate observations from the McMurdo dry valleys, East Antarctica are presented from a network of seven valley floor automatic meteorological stations during the period 1986 to 2000. Mean annual temperatures ranged from À14.8°C to À30.0°C, depending on the site and period of measurement. Mean annual relative humidity is generally highest near the coast. Mean annual wind speed increases with proximity to the polar plateau. Siteto-site variation in mean annual solar flux and PAR is due to exposure of each station and changes over time are likely related to changes in cloudiness. During the nonsummer months, strong katabatic winds are frequent at some sites and infrequent at others, creating large variation in mean annual temperature owing to the warming effect of the winds. Katabatic wind exposure appears to be controlled to a large degree by the presence of colder air in the region that collects at low points and keeps the warm less dense katabatic flow from the ground. The strong influence of katabatic winds makes prediction of relative mean annual temperature based on geographical position (elevation and distance from the coast) alone, not possible. During the summer months, onshore winds dominate and warm as they progress through the valleys creating a strong linear relationship (r 2 = 0.992) of increasing potential temperature with distance from the coast (0.09°C km À1 ). In contrast to mean annual temperature, summer temperature lends itself quite well to model predictions, and is used to construct a statistical model for predicting summer dry valley temperatures at unmonitored sites.

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“…The Dry Valleys are within a polar desert environment with less than 10 cm (water equivalent) of precipitation per year, measured ablation rates of 10-15 cm yr -1 for glacier ice and 30-35 cm yr -1 for lake ice covers (Hendersen et al 1965, Clow et al 1988, and mean annual air temperatures ranging from -17 to -358C (Clow et al 1988, Doran et al 2002. As precipitation levels are so low, most of the liquid water in these regions emanates as glacial discharge from the surrounding glaciers that feed the streams and lakes present on valley bottoms.…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

Formation and evolution of buried snowpack deposits in Pearse Valley, Antarctica, and implications for Mars

et al. 2012

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Buried snowpack deposits are found within the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, which offers the opportunity to study these layered structures of sand and ice within a polar desert environment. Four discrete buried snowpacks are studied within Pearse Valley, Antarctica, through in situ observations, sample analyses, O-H isotope measurements and numerical modelling of snowpack stability and evolution. The buried snowpack deposits evolve throughout the year and undergo deposition, melt, refreeze, and sublimation. We demonstrate how the deposition and subsequent burial of snow can preserve the snowpacks in the Dry Valleys. The modelled lifetimes of the buried snowpacks are dependent upon subsurface stratigraphy but are typically less than one year if the lag thickness is less than c. 7 cm and snow thickness is less than c. 10 cm, indicating that some of the Antarctic buried snowpacks form annually. Buried snowpacks in the Antarctic polar desert may serve as analogues for similar deposits on Mars and may be applicable to observations of the north polar erg, buried ice at the Mars Phoenix landing site, and observations of buried ice throughout the martian Arctic. Numerical modelling suggests that seasonal snows and subsequent burial are not required to preserve the snow and ice on Mars.

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An Ablation Rate for Lake Fryxell, Victoria Land, Antarctica

Cited by 6 publications

References 3 publications

Perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica: physical environment, biology and sedimentation

Perennially ice-covered Lake Hoare, Antarctica: physical environment, biology and sedimentation

Valley floor climate observations from the McMurdo dry valleys, Antarctica, 1986–2000

Formation and evolution of buried snowpack deposits in Pearse Valley, Antarctica, and implications for Mars

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