Exploration and study of glacier-ocean-seafloor multi-layer interactions on the Ross Sea continental shelf,Antarctica
On the Ross Sea shelf,situated between the largest ice sheet Ross Ice Shelf and South Pacific Ocean,there are the most active ice-sea interaction,glacial-geological process and tectonic magmatism in Antarctica.It is particu-larly necessary to conduct multidisciplinary exploration and research on the glacier-ocean-seafloor multi-layer in-teraction,which can provide insights into the simulating and understanding the history and trend of Antarctica and even global climate and environment changes.Based on the history of the ice sheets and the present situation of the Ross Ice Shelf,this paper has analyzed and summarized the results and understandings of the relevant projects:(1)There have been scientific programs to carry out the exploration and research on the shelf rift structure,volcanic magmatism and gas hydrate distribution,as well as the advance and retreat history of the ice sheets and the ice shelf,but there was little research on the relationships between the glacier advances and retreats and the submarine tectonic activities;(2)The shelf sedimentary sequence,outward growth,inward over-depth and three major ice erosion troughs have displayed strong glacial-geological processes,but the model of geomorphic reshaping has not been established,especially the mechanism of ice sheet grounding line controlling shelf growth needs to be dissected;(3)Shelf-and through-scale simulations have demonstrated net outputs of ice-melted waters at their west and net inputs of warm waters at their east,but the temporal and spatial distribution of these flows and their relationship with the ice shelf instability were seldom observed and studied;(4)The existing monitoring of seismo-graphs on the ice shelf and offshore hydrophones has revealed that the mechanical effects of earthquakes,volcanoes,tsunamis and storms from the Pacific Ocean have negative influences on the ice shelf stability,but for the patterns of energy transmission and decay there is a lack of soundscape monitoring along the ice erosion troughs,even covering the shelf range.Therefore,it is suggested that comprehensive observation profiles of geology and oceanography should be set up,and broadband seismometer and hydrophone monitoring should be carried out,so as to deeply explore relationships among the glacier advance and retreat,rift tectonic activities and air-sea interaction,and to make some contributions to the discovery of benthic communities and the monitoring of mammalian activities.
Ross Seacontinental shelfRoss Ice Shelfice erosion troughhydrophoneocean bottom seis-mometer(OBS)
万方数据
维普
