Atlas of Antarctica Ute Christina Herzfeld
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Atlas of Antarctica Ute Christina Herzfeld Atlas of Antarctica Topographic Maps from Geostatistical Analysis of Satellite Radar Altimeter Data With 169 Figures 123 Professor Dr. Ute Christina Herzfeld Cooperative Institute for Research in the Environmental Sciences National Snow and Ice Data Center University of Colorado Boulder Boulder, ca 80309-0449 USA Geomathematics University ofTrier 54286 Trier Germany email: [email protected] Additional material to this book can be downloaded from http://extras.springer.com . ISBN 978- 3- 642- 6241 8- 6 ISBN 978- 3- 642- 18515- 1 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978- 3- 642- 18515- 1 Images an the frontcaver:Sea ice and ice shelf with German Research Vessel Polarstern in Atka Bay, Weddell Sea; Iceberg offshore of New Schwabenland; Images an the back cover: Penguin Colony; Ice edge and sea ice in the polynia in Halley Bay, Antarctica; Author at Jakobshavn Isbrae, West Greenland. Library of Congress Control Number: 20041 07463 This work is subject to copyright.AII rights are reserved, whether the whole or part ofthe material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitations, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2004 Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1 st edition 2004 The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Cover design: Erich Kirchner, Heidelberg Production: Luisa Tonarelli Typesetting and layout: Ute C. Herzfeld Printedonacidfreepaper 30/3141/LT -543210 The Antarctic Atlas is dedicated to Helmut, Almut and Matthias Urs Preface Although it is generally understood that the askedofmetogetdownsouthtotheAntarctic.As Antarctic Ice Sheet plays a critical role in the it turned out, I got to work on least-squares pre- changing global system, there is to date still a lack diction and collocation, a method used in geodesy of generally available information on the subject. for interpolation, which led me into a new field of Climatic change and the role of the polar areas are science — geostatistics — which would become the often discussed in the media. Much of our knowl- centerpiece of my mathematical research; but the edge depends on models, and basic things such as expedition did not lead me to Antarctica, ending maps are missing. The generally used geophysi- in South America after crossing the Atlantic. In cal atlas of Antarctica is still the one published 1987/88 I “finally” set foot on the icy continent, 1 by Drewry twenty years ago, with literally huge during a 3 2 month expedition to Antarctica, also “white areas” on the maps (Drewry, D.J. (editor), with the POLARSTERN and the Alfred-Wegener- 1983, Antarctic Glaciological and Geophysical Fo- Institute for Polar Research (Bremerhaven, Ger- lio, Cambridge, Scott Polar Research Institute). many), to the Weddell Sea sector of Antarctica. In While there are maps of specific areas of Antarc- those days, expeditions were planned and staffed tica available (usually where field research is un- in a way that helping hands were always needed, dertaken), there is not one comprehensive work. scientists helped to establish stations, transport loads and clean up fuel barrels; marine biologists Antarctica is a remote continent. — Despite about needed help in counting species in huge piles of 200 years of Antarctic exploration, many places in biomass dumped on the deck; geophysicists needed the Antarctic have not been visited by mankind, help for around-the-clock watch at instruments; because Antarctica is hard to reach from inhab- trace-chemical stations needed to be established ited places, a foreboding place to travel because of far away from the main stations, and glaciologic glaciated terrain and harsh climate, and the fact data needed to be processed. This provided a great that the continent is surrounded by a frozen ocean way to learn about many aspects of the Antarc- for a large part of the year. Information on the tic environment as well as a fun way to interact remote continent is available today from satellite and collaborate. Quickly I noticed that who vol- data. unteered first got to set up remote sampling loca- Antarctica is a frozen continent. — It contains over tions, approached by helicopter or snowcat tracks, 90% of the Earth’s ice mass, and most of its area while who volunteered last may end up pumping is covered by ice. Arctic diesel ... Whatever the tasks, the Antarctic holds a grip on almost anyone who has ever vis- Antarctica is a fascinating continent. — The same ited it. Expeditions to places without the ICE are geographic properties that make Antarctica diffi- just not the same, as I came to discover in later cult to visit draw our imagination to this wild and seagoing expeditions. different place. In 1984, I interrupted my disser- tation project in mathematics for the chance to Our society’s knowledge on Antarctica is still far participate in an Antarctic expedition, with the less than knowledge about any other continent, de- German Research Vessel POLARSTERN, willing spite decades of exploration of Earth from space to work on more or less anything that would be and publications in scientific journals. A school VIII teacher who does not know what distinguishes Atlas maps provide elevation which is geophys- Antarctica from the Arctic is not an exception. ically useful and accurate information. As such Books on Antarctica that are available to a gen- the Atlas maps are the highest-resolution eleva- eral readership are commonly coffee-table picture tion maps available today, derived from satellite books, compiled by photographers on voyages to radar altimeter data by application of a geostatis- the Antarctic, often with a focus on wildlife. In tical method, which was specifically designed by contrast, the Atlas is focused on snow and ice the author for the problem of ice-sheet mapping. research, relationship of ice and climate, geog- Part II (chapter (D)) forms the center piece of the raphy, cartography and geodesy, geomathematics Atlas. and satellite geophysics — on revealing the sev- enth continent from space. As such, the Atlas of In part I “Motivation and Methods”, introductory Antarctica will fill an information gap. chapters concern the following topics: (A) The Antarctic Ice Sheet and its role in the Global Sys- Today’s educators want to teach children excit- tem, (B) Satellite Remote Sensing, and (C) Data ing facts about remote places, and tourism in- analysis methods applied in the Antarctic Atlas creases in an adventure and exploration compo- production and map construction. These sections nent. Together with this there is a growing inter- may serve as introductions to the realm of ice and est in Antarctica, and, often related to the cost climate, Antarctic geography, to satellite observa- of travel to remote places, the knowledge-desiring tions of the cryosphere, principles of satellite radar public has a high level of education. An increas- altimeter observations and data processing, and ing public interest in Global Change and Climate- geostatistical estimation or interpolation applied related questions also creates a need for books that in cartography. convey facts at a level that lies between that of picture books and science treatises. Applications presented in part III include mon- itoring changes in Antarctic glaciers, ice streams The Atlas of Antarctica is written with state-of- and ice shelves (chapter (E)) and detailed regional the-art scientific accuracy, so that it is hoped that studies of outlet glaciers of the inland ice that it may be useful for students and researchers of are particularly exciting (chapter (F)). Combina- glaciology, geophysics, remote sensing, cartogra- tion and integration of digital elevation models phy and Antarctic research, and at the same time from radar altimeter data and Synthetic Aperture introduce to the complex of questions and facts Radar (SAR) data, which show surface structures outlined above in a way that is informative and and flow features of glaciers and ice streams, is fun for the general reader interested in Antarctica. given as an example of employing data from two sources in glaciologic research (chapter (G)). The Information about the frozen continent, Antarc- Atlas contains a total of 145 maps, 25 figures, in- tica, is not only accessible by expeditions, without dex maps and diagrams, 5 tables, and furthermore the availability of satellite data, there would still references on related subjects in glaciology, geo- be large “white areas” on the map. mathematics, remote sensing and geodesy (chap- The “Atlas of Antarctica” utilizes satellite data ter (H)), a glaciologic glossary, an index of the — more precisely, radar altimeter data from Antarctic place names shown, and a list of Antarc- SEASAT, GEOSAT, ERS-1 and ERS-2. Other tic expeditions (chapter (I)). than the better known satellite images, altimeter The Atlas is for educators, glaciologists, re- measurements provide information on elevation searchers, students, tourists, anyone interested and, as such, may be the basis of topographic in Antarctica. It is my hope that the reader may maps. The Atlas of Antarctica covers the entire share some of my enthusiasm for Antarctica and Antarctic continent in a collection of accurate to- enjoy “discovering” some of its many fascinating pographic maps, each with 3 km by 3 km grid geographic and glaciologic features. resolution, surface elevation in grey shades and contours, and place names of glaciers, ice streams, Boulder, Colorado, Christmas 2003 and ice shelves, as well as of other major geo- graphic features.