Project Title

Ground geophysics survey of Thwaites Glacier

Summary

Event Number:
C-442-M
NSF/OPP Award 1738934 / NERC Award NE/S006672/1

Program Director:
Dr. Kelly Brunt

ASC POC/Implementer:
Ryan Steiner / Jenny Cunningham / Chad Naughton

Principal Investigator(s)

Dr. Sridhar Anandakrishnan
sxa17@psu.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Department of Geosciences and Environment Instit

Project Web Site:
https://thwaitesglacier.org/projects/ghost

Location

Supporting Stations: McMurdo Station
Research Locations: Thwaites Glacier

Description

The Geophysical Habitat of Subglacial Thwaites (GHOST) project is a part of ITGC (International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration), a multi-disciplinary effort led by the U.S. and U.K. Antarctic programs. This project aims to estimate the properties of the bed beneath Thwaites Glacier in order to improve models and better assess the contribution of this sector of West Antarctica to global sea-level rise. Projecting the retreat rate of Thwaites Glacier and understanding whether it can stabilize without completely deglaciating the marine basins of West Antarctica, is of critical importance in a warming world. The objectives of this project are to learn: 1) whether basal conditions allow for rapid retreat of the Thwaites Glacier grounding line; 2) whether its retreat may slow or stop on an upstream transverse ridge; and 3) whether englacial and subglacial conditions allow Thwaites Glacier to rapidly expand its boundaries and deglaciate adjacent marine basins.

Field Season Overview

This is the final field season for this project. Twenty-two participants including USAP scientists, British Antarctic Survey (BAS) scientists, and BAS support staff will deploy to west Antarctica to conduct seismic and radar surveys along transect lines parallel and perpendicular to the flow of Thwaites Glacier. Based at WAIS Divide, they will separate into teams collecting different measurements. The Vibroseis and Active traverse teams will move along transect lines while acquiring radar data and conducting active source seismic surveys. The Passive seismic team will deploy and later recover Earthscope SAGE-provided nodes at GHOST Subglacial Ridge. The ApRES and Delores teams will collect radar measurements along the parallel Thwaites Glacier transect line, and participants will also make Magnetotelluric measurements and retrieve radar/GPS stations that had been deployed in the area the previous season. Work will be supported by both BAS and USAP traverse vehicles and Twin Otters.

Deploying Team Members