iSTAR traverse route

Description

Data was collected from the glacier during two field seasons, 2013/14 and 2014/15. Each field season will involved a 70 day, 1000 km‐long traverse along the route shown. During this science traverse, radar and seismic surveys were conducted to obtain images of the bed topography, the internal architecture of the glacier and strain rates. The traverse infrastructure known as the ‘tractor train’ consisted of the following:

- 2 x Kässbohrer Pistonbully PB300 Polar tractors;

- 2 x long poly sleds, each with four fuel bladders attached on top;

- 1 x short poly sledge25 ;

- 3 x metal cargo sledges, one of which carries an accommodation caboose;

- A number small wooden or plastic utility sledges;

References

1. iSTAR Initial Environmental Evaluation

2. Traverse report 2014

3. iSTAR traverse - science on the move (video)

Field photo

The iSTAR traverse across Pine Island Glacier (PIG) on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet. The towed Caboose acted as a science and living module during the traverse.(BAS Image collection (2013/2014), David Vaughan)

Figures

Figure 1: The iSTAR traverse route with identified sites (01-22) and depot sites on Pine Island Glacier. (Andy Smith, BAS)