This award supports a study to determine the mass balance and mechanics of ice flow in the Siple Coast region of West Antarctica. The work is aimed at refining the mass balance calculation for ice stream B and allowing the first accurate calculations of the mass balance of ice streams D and E. The flow mechanics of the ice streams will be studied using strain grids, which allow the side drag, longitudinal tension and basal friction to be determined. Limited strain and topographic grids observed on Spot-satellite imagery. This work will document the current physical state of the Ross Sea sector of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet and contribute to the understanding of the cause of the extremely rapid drainage of the ice sheet through large ice streams.
