Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database
In 1981, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research endorsed a program for ship-based collection of Antarctic iceberg data, to be coordinated by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI). From the austral summers 1982/1983 to 1997/1998, icebergs were recorded from most, and up to 2009/10 by fewer rese...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-06-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022000843/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1797821749870460928 |
|---|---|
| author | Olav Orheim A. Barry Giles Geir Moholdt T. H. (Jo) Jacka Are Bjørdal |
| author_facet | Olav Orheim A. Barry Giles Geir Moholdt T. H. (Jo) Jacka Are Bjørdal |
| author_sort | Olav Orheim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In 1981, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research endorsed a program for ship-based collection of Antarctic iceberg data, to be coordinated by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI). From the austral summers 1982/1983 to 1997/1998, icebergs were recorded from most, and up to 2009/10 by fewer research vessels. The NPI database makes up 80% of the SCAR International Iceberg Database presented here, the remainder being Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition observations. The database contains positions of 374 142 icebergs resulting from 34 662 observations. Within these, 298 235 icebergs are classified into different size categories. The ship-based data are particularly useful because they include systematic observations of smaller icebergs not covered by current satellite-based datasets. Here, we assess regional and seasonal variations in iceberg density and total quantities, we identify drift patterns and exit zones from the continent, and we discuss iceberg dissolution rates and calving rates. There are significant differences in the extent of icebergs observed over the 30 plus years of observations, but much of these can be ascribed to differences in observation density and location. In the summer, Antarctic icebergs >10 m in length number ~130 000 of which 1000 are found north of the Southern Ocean boundary. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:57:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-27fbafd1e1b24effae82a1efb383d0b3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T09:57:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-27fbafd1e1b24effae82a1efb383d0b32023-05-23T11:53:18ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-06-016955156510.1017/jog.2022.84Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg DatabaseOlav Orheim0A. Barry Giles1Geir Moholdt2T. H. (Jo) Jacka3Are Bjørdal4Norsk Polarinstitutt, 9296 Tromsø, NorwayAntarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC), Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, Private Bag 80, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, AustraliaNorsk Polarinstitutt, 9296 Tromsø, NorwayAntarctic Climate Program, Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, AustraliaNorsk Polarinstitutt, 9296 Tromsø, NorwayIn 1981, the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research endorsed a program for ship-based collection of Antarctic iceberg data, to be coordinated by the Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI). From the austral summers 1982/1983 to 1997/1998, icebergs were recorded from most, and up to 2009/10 by fewer research vessels. The NPI database makes up 80% of the SCAR International Iceberg Database presented here, the remainder being Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition observations. The database contains positions of 374 142 icebergs resulting from 34 662 observations. Within these, 298 235 icebergs are classified into different size categories. The ship-based data are particularly useful because they include systematic observations of smaller icebergs not covered by current satellite-based datasets. Here, we assess regional and seasonal variations in iceberg density and total quantities, we identify drift patterns and exit zones from the continent, and we discuss iceberg dissolution rates and calving rates. There are significant differences in the extent of icebergs observed over the 30 plus years of observations, but much of these can be ascribed to differences in observation density and location. In the summer, Antarctic icebergs >10 m in length number ~130 000 of which 1000 are found north of the Southern Ocean boundary.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022000843/type/journal_articleIcebergsAntarcticaDatabaseSouthern Ocean |
| spellingShingle | Olav Orheim A. Barry Giles Geir Moholdt T. H. (Jo) Jacka Are Bjørdal Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database Journal of Glaciology Icebergs Antarctica Database Southern Ocean |
| title | Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database |
| title_full | Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database |
| title_fullStr | Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database |
| title_full_unstemmed | Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database |
| title_short | Antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship-based observations in the SCAR International Iceberg Database |
| title_sort | antarctic iceberg distribution revealed through three decades of systematic ship based observations in the scar international iceberg database |
| topic | Icebergs Antarctica Database Southern Ocean |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143022000843/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT olavorheim antarcticicebergdistributionrevealedthroughthreedecadesofsystematicshipbasedobservationsinthescarinternationalicebergdatabase AT abarrygiles antarcticicebergdistributionrevealedthroughthreedecadesofsystematicshipbasedobservationsinthescarinternationalicebergdatabase AT geirmoholdt antarcticicebergdistributionrevealedthroughthreedecadesofsystematicshipbasedobservationsinthescarinternationalicebergdatabase AT thjojacka antarcticicebergdistributionrevealedthroughthreedecadesofsystematicshipbasedobservationsinthescarinternationalicebergdatabase AT arebjørdal antarcticicebergdistributionrevealedthroughthreedecadesofsystematicshipbasedobservationsinthescarinternationalicebergdatabase |