Seismic evidence for a water-filled canal in deforming till beneath Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica

King, Edward C.; Woodward, John; Smith, Andrew M.. 2004 Seismic evidence for a water-filled canal in deforming till beneath Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica. Geophysical Research Letters, 31 (20), L20401. 4, pp. 10.1029/2004GL020379

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Abstract/Summary

Seismic data from Rutford Ice Stream, West Antarctica show high amplitude, reversed-polarity reflections from parts of the bed. Only interfaces between ice and water, or between water and sediment have the acoustic properties to produce such strong reflections - ice/sediment interfaces produce much weaker echoes. The evidence suggests that an area of the ice stream measuring at least 1 km by 0.2 km is underlain by water with a depth of less than 1 m. The data are consistent with the presence of a sub-ice drainage system comprising shallow canals cut into the sedimentary substrate, as predicted by theory.

Item Type:	Article
Identification Number/DOI:	10.1029/2004GL020379
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Antarctic Science in the Global Context (2000-2005) > Global Interactions of the Antarctic Ice Sheet
ISSN:	0094-8276
NORA Subject Terms:	Glaciology Earth Sciences
Date made live:	19 Jan 2012 11:51
URI:	http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/12225

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