Ross Sea Iceberg Distribution and Movement from Aerial Photography, 1983-1989

Field work for this project was completed in the 1988/89 season, following two seasons of ground-based work (1983/84, 1984/85) and three years of monitoring (1985-1988). The Ross Sea Iceberg Project aims to determine the distribution, sources, movement, and sizes of icebergs in the Ross Sea, as they are a significant part of the Antarctic marine environment and a natural hazard. Data was collected via oblique aerial photography from RNZAF C-130 aircraft flying at 2400m, with additional photography in the pack ice zone.

Use Cases

• Modeling iceberg drift patterns based on movement data collected over multiple years.
• Assessing iceberg distribution and quantity in the Ross Sea pack ice zone.
• Analyzing iceberg sizes and sources from oblique aerial photography.
• Monitoring changes in known iceberg locations over time.

Strengths

• Project includes data from multiple field seasons and years of monitoring (1983-1989).
• Aerial photography was conducted from a consistent altitude (2400m) for standardized collection.
• Scientific objectives are clearly defined, focusing on distribution, quantity, and movement patterns.

Limitations

• Row count, file formats, and column-level documentation are unknown.
• Data is historical (1980s); freshness for current applications is unverified.
• Last update date and license information are unknown.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, via NASA Earthdata.

Collection Method

Oblique aerial photography from RNZAF C-130 aircraft.

Time Range

1983-1989, with primary field work in 1988/89.

Freshness

Data collection concluded in 1989; last update is unknown.

Geography

Ross Sea, Antarctica, including areas between Ross, Beaufort, Franklin, Coulman Islands, and north to Cape Adare.