Whillans Ice Stream
Encyclopedia
Whillans Ice Stream a glaciological feature of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet
, formerly known as Ice Stream B, renamed in 2001 in honor of Ohio State University
glaciologist Dr. Ian Whillans.
into the Ross Ice Shelf
. The ice stream
is the subject of different glaciological studies, one of which is looking at subglacial lake
s that researchers believe may be speeding the movement of the ice as they periodically fill and drain.
Other researchers, also funded by the National Science Foundation
, reported in the June 5, 2008 issue of the journal Nature that from seismological and GPS data they discovered the Whillans Ice Stream releases two bursts of seismic waves every day, each one equivalent to a magnitude 7 earthquake
. The data show that the river of ice moves about a half-meter within ten minutes, remains still for 12 hours, then moves another half-meter. Each time it moves, it emits seismic waves that are recorded at seismographs around Antarctica, and even as far away as Australia
, a distance of more than 6,400 kilometers.
West Antarctic Ice Sheet
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the segment of the continental ice sheet that covers West Antarctica, the portion of Antarctica on the side of the Transantarctic Mountains which lies in the Western Hemisphere. The WAIS is classified as a marine-based ice sheet, meaning that its bed lies well...
, formerly known as Ice Stream B, renamed in 2001 in honor of Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
glaciologist Dr. Ian Whillans.
Recent Research
Whillans Ice Stream is one of about a half-dozen large, fast-moving rivers of ice pouring from the West Antarctic Ice SheetWest Antarctic Ice Sheet
The West Antarctic Ice Sheet is the segment of the continental ice sheet that covers West Antarctica, the portion of Antarctica on the side of the Transantarctic Mountains which lies in the Western Hemisphere. The WAIS is classified as a marine-based ice sheet, meaning that its bed lies well...
into the Ross Ice Shelf
Ross Ice Shelf
The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica . It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 km long, and between 15 and 50 metres high above the water surface...
. The ice stream
Ice stream
An ice stream is a region of an ice sheet that moves significantly faster than the surrounding ice. Ice streams are a type of glacier. They are significant features of the Antarctic where they account for 10% of the volume of the ice...
is the subject of different glaciological studies, one of which is looking at subglacial lake
Subglacial lake
A subglacial lake is a lake under a glacier, typically an ice cap or ice sheet. There are many such lakes, with Lake Vostok in Antarctica being by far the largest known at present.-Characteristics:...
s that researchers believe may be speeding the movement of the ice as they periodically fill and drain.
Other researchers, also funded by the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, reported in the June 5, 2008 issue of the journal Nature that from seismological and GPS data they discovered the Whillans Ice Stream releases two bursts of seismic waves every day, each one equivalent to a magnitude 7 earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
. The data show that the river of ice moves about a half-meter within ten minutes, remains still for 12 hours, then moves another half-meter. Each time it moves, it emits seismic waves that are recorded at seismographs around Antarctica, and even as far away as Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, a distance of more than 6,400 kilometers.