Law Dome Traverse Gravity and Temperature Measurements

36 days of field measurements were collected during the 1987 'Traverse 4' expedition across Law Dome, Wilkes Land. The dataset includes detailed gravity and borehole temperature readings from multiple sites, accompanied by travel notes. Records were archived by the Australian Antarctic Division.

Use Cases

• Model ice sheet mass and subsurface density using gravity readings from traverse sites.
• Analyze historical borehole temperature profiles to reconstruct past climate conditions on Law Dome.
• Correlate travel notes with measurement locations to understand logistical context and site selection.
• Validate regional climate models with in-situ temperature data collected during the 36-day expedition.

Strengths

• 36 consecutive days of field measurements provide a continuous temporal snapshot.
• Includes multiple complementary data types: quantitative gravity/temperature readings and qualitative travel notes.

Limitations

• Dataset is from a single expedition in 1987, limiting temporal scope and modern applicability.
• Unknown sample size and specific column structure hinders immediate analysis.

Provenance

Source

Australian Antarctic Division (AU_AADC) records store.

Collection Method

Field measurements (gravity and borehole temperature) and manual notes taken during a traverse expedition.

Time Range

1987, specifically during the 36-day 'Traverse 4'.

Freshness

Data collection concluded in October 1987; no updates expected.

Geography

Law Dome, Wilkes Land, Antarctic region, starting from Casey station.