Evolution of the Gamburtsev Mountains
Antarctica's evolution impacts on global scale changes of sea level, ice volume and climate.
A representation of the subglacial Gamburtsev Mountains
| Our understanding of the Earth as a bipolar coupled system will be explored by developing a four dimensional evolutionary history of the world's largest glacier (Lambert) and associated ice shelf (Amery) in East Antarctica.
A transect from the centre of the Antarctic continent, where the Gamburtsev Mountains lie under the ice sheet, northwards into Prydz Bay. Nothing is known about the nature of this ice-covered Antarctic "highland". It was from this region that the expanding Antarctic ice sheet is thought to have originated some 30 million years ago.
It has been suggested that during warmer periods, this terrain was drained first by ice streams and then, nearer the coast, by rivers from which thick sediments accumulated.
Data collected will include:
- offshore marine data
- gravity
- magnetics
- ice radar soundings
- other geological observations
The marine sub-project will target the Lambert Rift system in the area of Prydz Bay. Deep crustal geophysical data and sediment cores will be collected and integrated with the continental based data sets.
Marine geoscience activities in 2007 will be on ships:
- RV Polarstern
- RV Akademik Alexander Karpinsky
Continental and airborne based program during the 2007/08 austral summer will be at:
- the Prince Charles Mountains
- the Gamburtsev Mountains
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