Ellesmere Island Ice Shelf Project 1960

Abstract

During 1960 the Arctic Institute of North America continued the studies in Ellesmere Island that were begun in 1959 .... Twenty-three persons were actively engaged in field work between April 26 and September 24, 1960, but only seven men remained on the Ice Shelf throughout the season .... The main program was an evaluation of the mass balance of the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf and Ice Rise. A survey line from the mainland to the edge of the Ice Shelf, established in 1959 was resurveyed. R. W. Mason and his team installed a grid of markers for an aerial survey, but unfortunately the Royal Canadian Air Force Air Photography Wing was unable to make the necessary flights on account of poor weather conditions. General climatic observations and detailed micrometeorological studies were made on the Ice Shelf and Ice Rise by Lister and Sagar. In addition, level lines were run across the Ice Shelf, a 30-day tidal record was kept at the Shelf edge, and ablation/accumulation measurements made over a grid of 70 stakes. R. Ragle of Dartmouth College directed the coring of some deep holes in the ice of both the Ice Shelf and the Ice Rise at four locations. The cores obtained were flown out to Dartmouth College for fabric analysis. A detailed geomorphological study of the coast of Ellesmere Island opposite Ward Hunt Island and of Ward Hunt Island was made by Dr. J. Lyons. The N.C.E.L. [U.S. Naval Civil Engineering Laboratory] party under D. E. Well conducted studies of the ice surface with special attention to factors affecting suitability for aircraft landings. Although few quantitative results of the work are available as yet, snow accumulation was found to be more than 50 per cent greater than in a comparable period in 1959. The summer of 1960 was relatively warm, but the net loss of the ice by melting and run-off only equalled that of 1959. There is some indication that the radiation regime of the area controls the amount of summer melt. The results of ice core analysis and the geomorphological studies may help to throw some light on the history of the Ice Shelf, and the combined studies are intended to evaluate the critical conditions that govern the growth and breakup of shelf ice in the region.