Vertical Crustal Deformation in Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica: Observation versus Model Prediction

Abstract

During the last decade a variety of geodetic observations have been carried out in central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, in order to investigate geodynamic and glaciologic phenomena. Of special interest is the interaction of recent and historic ice mass changes and the vertical crustal deformation, which is characterized by the rheological properties of the Earth, especially of the crust and the upper mantle. The geodetic information may help to constrain the recent isostatic uplift pattern, the recent and — using additional age information — past ice sheet configuration in central Dronning Maud Land. Coupling the geodetic data with these additional constraints on recent and past ice mass changes allows a self-consistent glacial load history to be investigated. A spectrum of viable load histories will be examined and the respective isostatic deformation signature will be computed, using a flat earth approach. First model computations will be presented and discussed, aiming to reconcile the modelled vertical uplift signature and the observations.