Preliminary Investigations on Accumulation at the Filchner/Ronne ice Shelves and Atka Bay

Abstract

In January 1980, the accumulation rates on the Filchner/Ronne ice shelves and at Atka Bay were determined by snow-pit stratigraphy (at Filchner station) and isotope analyses using a snow pit and a handdrilled core down to about 12 m from the surface. At Filchner station a mean annual net accumulation of 51 cm a−1 of snow representing a water equivalent of 20 g cm−2 was found by stratigraphic measurements. 2H, 180 and 3H analyses led to a value of 55 cm a−1 of snow for the last two decades. At Atka Bay a mean annual accumulation rate of 75 cm a−1of snow resulted from 2H and 180 analyses.