Abstract
Abstract. This study provides first estimates of the water transport timescale for five lakes located in the Larsemann Hills oasis (69∘23′ S, 76∘20′ E) in East Antarctica. We estimated lake retention time (LRT) as a ratio of lake volume to the inflow and outflow terms of a lake water balance equation. The LRT was evaluated for lakes of epiglacial and landlocked types, and it was assumed that these lakes are monomictic, with water exchange occurring during the warm season only. We used hydrological observations collected in four seasonal field campaigns to evaluate the LRT. For the epiglacial lakes Progress and Nella/Scandrett, the LRT was estimated at 12–13 and 4–5 years, respectively. For the landlocked lakes Stepped, Sarah Tarn and Reid, our results show a great difference in the LRT calculated from the outflow and inflow terms of the water balance equation. The LRTs for these lakes vary depending on the methods and errors inherent to them. We relied on the estimations from the outflow terms, since they are based on hydrological measurements with better quality. Lake Stepped exchanged water within 1.5 years. Sarah Tarn and Lake Reid are endorheic ponds, with water loss mainly through evaporation. Their LRTs were estimated as 21–22 and 8–9 years, respectively. To improve the LRT estimates, special hydrological observations are needed to monitor the lakes and streams during the warm season with a uniform observational programme.
Highlights
On the continent of Antarctica, most of the water is frozen and deposited in the ice sheets, glaciers and permafrost
We focus on two types of lakes, namely epiglacial and landlocked lakes, located in the icefree area of the Larsemann Hills oasis, on the East Antarctic coast
This study provides the first estimates for water transport timescale characteristics, namely the lake retention time, for five lakes located in the Larsemann Hills oasis, East Antarctica
Summary
On the continent of Antarctica, most of the water is frozen and deposited in the ice sheets, glaciers and permafrost. Climate warming enhances melting of the ice sheets and glaciers, and melted water accumulates in lakes and streams. The lakes appear on the surface of the continental ice sheet, at its contact with rocks and in local depressions in ice-free areas (oases). Antarctic lakes exist both under the ice sheet (subglacial type lakes) and on top of it (supraglacial type). Many lakes are located on the boundary between the rocks and continental and shelf ice sheets (epiglacial and epishelf types). Lakes of the landlocked or closed basin type occupy local relief depressions (Hodgson, 2012)
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