One of the major hurdles in studying ice shelves is actually getting there. In the Amundsen, the continental shelf is often covered with sea ice late in summer. Since this cruise is relatively early-season, there is some worry about where we'll be able to go.
Here's a satellite photo of Pine Island Bay and satellite derived sea ice concentration around Antarctica on 12/27/2009. Pine island ice shelf (streaked area in lower right corner) is not blocked by fast ice (as it was in 2007), and it looks like the sea ice near Thwaites glacier tongue will allow passage into PI Bay. That's not to say things can't change between now and then but it's good news.
Monday, December 29, 2008
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My students were wondering, if your cruise uses a CTD, could we persuade you to give us a copy of the S-T reading? We have a few others that we use when we investigate the deep water circulation, but not one from that part of the world. We'll be watching your trip with interest!
ReplyDeleteTurtle Haste
James Monroe Middle School
Albuquerque, NM
http://web.me.com/lhuffman/Project_Circle/Sun_Shadows_Project.html