US-ITASE 2 proposed corridor
Over two years traversed from Taylor Dome to South Pole along a corridor behind the Trans-Antarctic Mountains, passing through the upper reaches of the major East Antarctic Ice Sheet glaciers that drain into the Ross Ice Shelf. The actual route was modified as we encountered crevasses that were not detected by preliminary satellite image analysis, or discovered features of scientific interest. We collected radar data and ice cores from a number of short (100-200 km) traverses oriented perpendicular to the main traverse route. These profiles provided the opportunity to collect data along ice flow lines.
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2006-07 Field season
The traverse route started at Taylor Dome near the Transantarctic Mts. just west of McMurdo Station. The route headed inland and then turned south 130 km from Taylor Dome. We continued south into the Byrd Glacier drainage, collecting ice cores at four sites as well as over 500 km of deep (3 MHz) and shallow (400 MHz) radar data.
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2007-08 Field season
We started the traverse at site 06-4 in the upper Byrd Glacier drainage basin where we left the tractors and sleds at the end of the 2006-07 season. The traverse left the winter-over site on Nov. 15, 2007 and traveled 1,200 km to the South Pole where we arrived on Dec. 24, 2007. Ice cores were collected at four sites, including Titan Dome. We collected nearly 1,400 km of 3 MHz radar data along the route and local profiles at the ice core sites. We found ice over 3 km thick in places, very complicated ice stratigraphy, and evidence of a few subglacial lakes.
2007-08 Photos(coming in Spring 2008)
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