USAP-DC

This award supports a two year project to develop a new method for measuring vertical strain rates in polar firn. Vertical strain rate measurements in the firn are important because they can aid in the understanding of the dynamics of firn compaction, a key factor in determining ice age/gas age difference estimates for ice cores. Vertical strain rate measurements also determine ice advection for borehole paleothermometry models, and most importantly can be used to date the shallow sections of ice cores where ambiguities in chemical dating or counting of annual layers hinder dating by traditional methods. In this project a video logging tool will be used to create a unique "optical fingerprint" of variations in the optical properties of the firn with depth, and track the movement and deformation of the features of this fingerprint. Preliminary work at Siple Dome, Antarctica using an improvised logging system shows a series of optically bright and dark zones as the tool transits up or down the hole. Borehole fingerprinting has the potential to improve measurements of vertical strain in firn holes. This project represents a unique opportunity to interface with an existing field program where a borehole vertical strain rate project is already underway. A graduate student will be supported to conduct the work on this project as part of a PhD. dissertation on climate and physical processes in polar firn.

Person	Role
Alley, Richard	Co-Investigator
Taylor, Kendrick C.	Co-Investigator
Waddington, Edwin D.	Investigator
Hawley, Robert L.	Co-Investigator

Antarctic Glaciology

Award # 0087521

NSIDC-0515_1

None in the Database

Repository	Title (link)	Format(s)	Status
USAP-DC	Annual Layers at Siple Dome, Antarctica, from Borehole Optical Stratigraphy	None	exist