2002/01/01 by Helmut Rott, Wolfgang Rack, Pedro Skvarca +1 · 1 citation
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Engineering · Environmental Science · #Cryospheric studies and observations #Landslides and related hazards #Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Applications and Techniques
paper · pdf · doi:10.3189/172756402781817716
openalex publication_date 2002/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Abstract Changes of Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica, and the surrounding glaciers after its collapse in 1995 were investigated using satellite radar imagery, with emphasis on changes in the glaciers which previously nourished the ice shelf north of Seal Nunataks and now calve directly into the sea. The large glaciers retreated several kilometres inland of the previous grounding line. The velocity field of Drygalski Glacier, the largest glacier in this area, was mapped by means of interferograms derived from pairs of European Remote-sensing Satellite synthetic aperture radar images from 1995 and 1999. The main part of the glacier showed a significant acceleration of flow over these 4 years, with an increase of velocity up to three-fold at the terminus. Similar accelerations were observed by means of interferometry on several other grounded glaciers, suggesting that the removal of ice shelves could lead to an effect on eustatic sea level. For Larsen B, the northernmost surviving part of Larsen Ice Shelf, the retreat of the ice front to October 2000 is documented.