An updated seabed bathymetry beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

Brisbourne, Alex; Kulessa, Bernd; Hudson, Thomas; Harrison, Lianne; Holland, Paul; Luckman, Adrian; Bevan, Suzanne; Ashmore, David; Hubbard, Bryn; Pearce, Emma; White, James; Booth, Adam; Nicholls, Keith; Smith, Andrew

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-887-2020

Articles | Volume 12, issue 2

https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-887-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-887-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 12, issue 2

Data description paper

|

20 Apr 2020

Data description paper |

| 20 Apr 2020

An updated seabed bathymetry beneath Larsen C Ice Shelf, Antarctic Peninsula

Alex Brisbourne, Bernd Kulessa, Thomas Hudson, Lianne Harrison, Paul Holland, Adrian Luckman, Suzanne Bevan, David Ashmore, Bryn Hubbard, Emma Pearce, James White, Adam Booth, Keith Nicholls, and Andrew Smith

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-12-887-2020-supplement

Data sets

Seismic bathymetry data, Antarctic Peninsula, Larsen C Ice Shelf, 2016 [Data set] A. Brisbourne, T. Hudson, and P. Holland https://doi.org/10.5285/315740B1-A7B9-4CF0-9521-86F046E33E9A

Seismic refraction data, Antarctic Peninsula, Larsen C Ice Shelf, Cabinet Inlet, November-December 2014 [Data set] B. Kulessa, and S. Bevan https://doi.org/10.5285/FFF8AFEE-4978-495E-9210-120872983A8D

Seismic refraction data, Antarctic Peninsula, Larsen C Ice Shelf, Whirlwind Inlet, November-December 2015 [Data set] A. Booth https://doi.org/10.5285/5D63777D-B375-4791-918F-9A5527093298

Seismic refraction data from two sites on Antarctica's Larsen C Ice Shelf, Nov 2017, following the calving of Iceberg A68 [Data set] A. Booth, J. White, E. Pearce, S. Cornford, A. Brisbourne, A. Luckman, and B. Kulessa https://doi.org/10.5285/147BAF64-B9AF-4A97-8091-26AEC0D3C0BB

Short summary

Melting of the Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica may lead to its collapse. To help estimate its lifespan we need to understand how the ocean can circulate beneath. This requires knowledge of the geometry of the sub-shelf cavity. New and existing measurements of seabed depth are integrated to produce a map of the ocean cavity beneath the ice shelf. The observed deep seabed may provide a pathway for circulation of warm ocean water but at the same time reduce rapid tidal melt at a critical location.