Thwaites Jan 2019 BAS aerogeophysical survey plan

Map of BAS airborne geophysical survey area and planned flight lines in white. Colors indicate ice flow speed, showing the broad area of rapid flow and the many tributaries of Thwaites reaching into the interior of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. Black contours show surface elevation. The sky-blue oval areas are lakes of water beneath the glacier. Survey equipment: Radar: PASIN2 depth sounding radar, with 12 antenna array (including belly antenna). Configured in polametric mode, i.e. 4 antennas on one wing are orientated at 90 degrees to the rest of the array. CRESIS snow radar. Gravity: L&R stabilised platform. iMAR strapdown gravity sensor. LIDAR: Regal scanning lidar Magnetics: Two wing-tip Scintrex Cs sensors, and fluxgate with PicoEnvirotec data acquisition system.

ITGC Logistics, 2018-2019

High-resolution version This map summarizes field logistical activities and major science study areas for the ITGC effort in 2018-2019. Ice-hardened cargo ships  have unloaded science gear and fuel onto an ice shelf, where it will be staged nearby (SB89) and then hauled by tractor traverse to  the Thwaites region (Eastern Shear Margin, ESM, camp; and Lower Thwaites Glacier, LTG, camp). At WAIS Divide, science gear and more fuel will arrive by LC-130 aircraft from McMurdo Station, and will be distributed to the forward camps by US Twin Otter. Additionally, a BAS Twin Otter will fly to the LTG camp to conduct an airborne science survey of the region with a number of instruments (see Thwaites Jan 2019 BAS aerogeophysical survey plan). A research expedition aboard the RV Nathaniel B Palmer is underway, and expected to survey several ocean regions near Thwaites (green boxes), mapping the bathymetry, collecting shallow sediment cores, exploring beneath the floating ice shelves with a large UAV, and tagging seals with small instrument packs to survey the ocean.  Automated mooring instruments will be serviced as well, and their data recovered.