Hydrostatic Pressure Measurements Below Ross Ice Shelf

A pressure sensor was suspended 761 meters from the ice surface into the ocean cavity below the Ross Ice Shelf. Data collection occurred from January to March 2015 within a grounding zone where ice elevation does not respond hydrostatically to ocean pressure changes. The dataset originates from the United States Antarctic Research Program and Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling project.

Use Cases

• Analyzing ocean pressure variability beneath an ice shelf over a two-month period.
• Studying hydrostatic conditions within a grounding or flexure zone of the Ross Ice Shelf.
• Investigating water mass properties at a mid-depth point in a 10-meter-thick sub-shelf cavity.

Strengths

• Data provides a continuous two-month record from a specific deployment in January-March 2015.
• Sensor was positioned at a precisely documented depth of 761 meters below the ice surface.
• Measurements were taken in a scientifically critical grounding zone location.

Limitations

• Column names, row counts, and file size are unknown across all platforms.
• The last update date conflicts between sources (2015 vs. 2026), suggesting potential metadata issues.
• Specific data format and sampling frequency are not detailed.

Provenance

Source

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce; United States Antarctic Research Program (USARP); Whillans Ice Stream Subglacial Access Research Drilling (WISSARD).

Collection Method

A pressure sensor suspended by steel cable through a borehole into the ocean cavity below the Ross Ice Shelf.

Time Range

2015-01 2015-03

Freshness

2026-03-05 23:12:38.737569

Geography

Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, within a grounding/flexure zone.