The foundations of Antarctic glaciology

Abstract

Heroic treks inland by Scott, Shackleton, and Amundsen in the early 1900s demonstrated the immensity of the Antarctic ice cover. But it has taken a century to estimate its volume and elucidate its intricate dynamics. Three significant milestones in the development of Antarctic glaciology have been: the memoir Glaciology by Charles Wright and Raymond Priestly arising from the Terra Nova expedition (1910–1913); the Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition (1949–1952); the International Geophysical Year (1957–1958). Robert Scott thought glaciology so important he appointed a physicist as glaciologist (Wright) and to work with him, a scientist with previous experience of Antarctic ice (Priestley). Their compendium is a classic work. The Norwegian-British-Swedish Expedition was the first true international scientific expedition to Antarctica. Their studies provided the first clear picture of the Antarctic glacial environment, leading to the concept that sea level is controlled principally by the state of the Antarctic ice sheet. Glaciology was one of the main studies in the International Geophysical Year. Research was conducted at coastal and inland stations and on over-snow traverses. Measurements on traverses provided the first glimpse of the surface elevation, magnitude of the ice volume, snow accumulation, and mean annual surface temperatures.