SPATIAL-PATTERN AND TEMPORAL-PATTERN IN SNOW ACCUMULATION, WESTERN DRONNING-MAUD-LAND, ANTARCTICA

During the Swedish Antarctic Expedition to Dronning Maud Land, Antarct ica, 1988-89 the net accumulation was estimated for an area from the c oast to about 400 km inland. Stake measurements were used to obtain th e spatial variability and firn cores were used for the temporal variab ility. The mean annual accumulation for the period 1976-88 is about 0. 4 m w.e, for Riiser-Larsenisen and about 0.3 m w.e. for the area above the grounding line. The accumulation rate at higher altitudes, > 2500 m a.s.l., is about 0.1 m w.e. for 1955-88. One record from the ice sh elf covers the period 1957-88, and suggests an increase in accumulatio n of about 12%. Between 1976 and 1988, the accumulation has decreased by about 50%, most likely due to lower temperatures as suggested by th e temperature record from Halley.