R. Retzlaff et al., AIRBORNE-RADAR STUDIES - ICE STREAM-A, ICE STREAM-B AND ICE STREAM-C,WEST ANTARCTICA, Journal of Glaciology, 39(133), 1993, pp. 495-506
Digital airborne-radar data were collected during the 1988-89 Antarcti
c field season in six gridded blocks covering the upstream parts of Ic
e Streams A, B and C. An automated processing procedure was developed
for picking onset times, converting travel times, interpolating missin
g data, converting pressure-transducer readings, correcting navigation
al drift, performing cross-over analysis and zeroing remanent cross-ov
er errors. Cross-over analysis was used to remove the effects of tempo
ral variations in atmospheric pressure and to estimate errors. Interpo
lation between flight lines was carried out using the Kriging method.
Surface elevation was referred to the Rapp Set A geoid by trying the g
ridded surface to satellite-surveyed ground stations, using a planar-m
odel fit. Maps of surface elevation, ice thickness and bottom topograp
hy with standard-error estimates of 4-9 m for surface elevation and 30
-60 m for ice thickness and bottom topography were produced. These map
s show that the locations of the ice streams are not clearly reflected
in either the surface or basal topography, so are presumably controle
d by basal or internal conditions, that there is no clearly demarcated
transition zone between sheet flow and streaming flow, that there is
no clear cut evidence for the capture of the catchment of Ice Stream C
by Ice Stream B, but that Ice Stream B does drain virtually the entir
e region between the lateral boundaries of Ice Streams A and C.