Accumulation Distribution in the IAGP Area, Antarctica: 90°E-150°E

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Abstract
The distribution of mean net accumulation rate over a large sector (90°E to 150°E) of the IAGP (International Antarctic Glaciological Project) area in Antarctica is presented in map form. The basic data have been compiled from direct measurements of accumulation at stake networks, and by dating horizons in the snow pack by gross β-activity measurements, on four long traverse routes. The spatial variability can be high, over 40%, for a single year, and typically about 20% for multiyear averages. Local surface topography in the form of undulations of several kilometres wavelength can account for about 35% of the variance. Averaging over Intervals of 50 km or more will give the smooth large-scale distribution pattern. But the resultant values can still deviate from the long-term average accumulation by 25% or more due to temporal variability over time scales of years to decades.A very high correlation (r = 0.97) was found for the relationship a = 1414 exp (0.060 θ10) between accumulation, a kg m−2a−1, and 10 m depth snow temperature, θ10°C, when the data set was limited to a single large drainage basin in Wilkes Land.