Effective motors are crucial for driving astronomical telescopes,especially for those operating in Antarctica,where the harsh environment and operating conditions,including extreme low temperature,ice/snow accumulatio...Effective motors are crucial for driving astronomical telescopes,especially for those operating in Antarctica,where the harsh environment and operating conditions,including extreme low temperature,ice/snow accumulation,low power consumption,and unattended operation,introduce challenges to the design and development of motor drives.We present the design of a permanent magnet synchronous motor suitable for this environment,conducting a quantitative analysis on the impacts of cryogenic conditions on lubricant performance,differential thermal contraction of metallic components,and remanent flux density of neodymium iron boron(N52)permanent magnets.We also implement a labyrinth seal structure,combined with silicone sealing rings,to mitigate ice crystal intrusion risks.Finite element analysis and laboratory tests demonstrate a maximum torque output of 25 Nm.This kind of motor is used in the Antarctic 15 cm Near Infrared Telescope at Dome A,Antarctica.Operation data shows a total encoder feedback error of 0.0678"for the telescope control system with 15"s^(−1)tracking speed at−56.79°C.These results comprehensively validate the high reliability and precision of the motor under the extreme conditions of the polar environment.展开更多
Dome A,in Antarctica,offers an exceptional site for ground-based infrared astronomy,with its extremely low atmospheric infrared background noise and excellent seeing conditions.However,deploying near-infrared telescop...Dome A,in Antarctica,offers an exceptional site for ground-based infrared astronomy,with its extremely low atmospheric infrared background noise and excellent seeing conditions.However,deploying near-infrared telescopes in the harsh environment of Antarctica faces the critical challenge of frost accumulation on optical mirrors.While indium tin oxide heating films effectively defrost visible-band Antarctic astronomical telescopes,their thermal radiation at infrared wavelengths introduces significant stray light,severely degrading the signal-to-noise ratio for infrared observations.To address this limitation,we have designed a mechanical snow-removal system capable of efficiently clearing frost from sealing window surfaces at temperatures as low as–80°C.Aperture photometry of target sources,Canopus and HD 2151,revealed that after six days without intervention,floating snow extinction reduced target brightness by up to 3 magnitudes.Following mechanical defrosting,the source flux recovered to stable levels,with measured magnitudes showing rapid initial improvement followed by stabilization.Data analysis indicates that a frost removal strategy operating every 48 h,with each operation consisting of 4–6 cycles,enables efficient removal of frost and snow without introducing additional thermal noise.Future work will focus on optimizing the adaptive control algorithm and exploring novel low-temperature defrosting materials to extend the periods during which Antarctic infrared telescopes can operate unattended.展开更多
The thickness and upper densification structure of an ice sheet are important parameters for dynamic ice sheet modeling and glacier mass balance studies.Seismic ambient noise methods,such as the horizontal-to-vertical...The thickness and upper densification structure of an ice sheet are important parameters for dynamic ice sheet modeling and glacier mass balance studies.Seismic ambient noise methods,such as the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio(H/V)method and ambient noise cross-correlation method,are becoming increasingly popular in glacier structure investigations.During China's 39th expedition to Antarctica,seismic ambient noise experiments were conducted to investigate the structure of the ice sheet at Kunlun Station,Dome A,using a seismic nodal system.We obtained a broad band(0.1–10 Hz)H/V curve with a 1-hour noise record from a seismic node.In addition,we extracted the Rayleigh wave dispersion curve with 5-day noise cross-correlation functions from a linear dense seismic array.Three clear peaks were observed in the H/V curve—a lower peak at~0.17 Hz and two higher frequency peaks at~3 Hz and~6 Hz.We inverted the ice sheet thickness using the lower frequency portion of the H/V curve and inverted the upper structure of the ice sheet using the higher frequency portion of the H/V curve jointly with the dispersion curve.Our estimations from ambient noise observations were consistent with those derived from the BedMachine ice sheet thickness dataset and the density profile determined by ground-penetrating radar investigations at the same site.展开更多
With excellent seeing conditions,ultra-low infrared background noise,high frequency of space debris transits,and continuous polar night coverage,Dome A in Antarctica has become an ideal platform for ground-based astro...With excellent seeing conditions,ultra-low infrared background noise,high frequency of space debris transits,and continuous polar night coverage,Dome A in Antarctica has become an ideal platform for ground-based astronomy and space situational monitoring.As a crucial observatory site for international deep space,deep Earth,deep sea,and polar exploration,it is very important to evaluate the suitability of Dome A as an observatory site.However,owing to extreme environmental constraints,the evaluation of site conditions is mainly based on single-point measurements,making it challenging to comprehensively evaluate the effective site range and uniformity.This study integrated satellite remote sensing data to develop a cross-comparison framework for diverse indicators across Dome A,to evaluate its spatial uniformity.We find that the area surrounding the Dome A site,defined within a roughly 1°×1°latitude and longitude range,possesses excellent astronomical observation conditions.展开更多
Some GPS points were set up and occupied and reoccupied along the traverse route from Zhongshan Station to DomeA.The result analysis for the GPS data processed by GAMIT/GLOBK package was presented in this paper.It was...Some GPS points were set up and occupied and reoccupied along the traverse route from Zhongshan Station to DomeA.The result analysis for the GPS data processed by GAMIT/GLOBK package was presented in this paper.It was indicated that the ice along the traverse route flowed with an 825 m/a velocity to the northwest in the last three years,which was the direction of the edge of the ice sheet.The maximum horizontal flow velocity is about 100 m/a.Moreover,due to the ice flow,a 0.21 m/a sedimentation rate is achieved.Finally,a 15 m/a 2 horizontal acceleration is achieved from the GPS data of the three different stages.展开更多
南极作为地球的寒极,其最高点Dome A地区于2013年8月1日气温达到-93.0℃的极低值。利用Polar Weather Research and Forecasting(Polar WRF)3.8.1模式,对发生在南极Dome A地区的3次极端低温事件进行数值模拟分析。通过与自动气象站实测...南极作为地球的寒极,其最高点Dome A地区于2013年8月1日气温达到-93.0℃的极低值。利用Polar Weather Research and Forecasting(Polar WRF)3.8.1模式,对发生在南极Dome A地区的3次极端低温事件进行数值模拟分析。通过与自动气象站实测数据对比验证,模拟效果较为理想。结果表明:印度洋和大西洋交界区域的高压加强,其高压脊开始向南极内陆延伸,导致Dome A地区气压升高,使得该地区天气晴好,云量极低,为极端低温事件发生奠定基础;同时,南极中心冷涡加强,长时间的冷平流和稳定的逆温层为Dome A地区提供了足够的降温条件,并且加强了夜间辐射降温效应,稳定的垂直场、极低的向下长波辐射使得Dome A地区的极端低温事件得以维持。展开更多
As the highest, coldest and driest place in Antarctica, Dome A provides exceptionally good observing conditions for ground-based observations over terahertz wavebands. The 5 m Dome A Terahertz Explorer （DATES） has b...As the highest, coldest and driest place in Antarctica, Dome A provides exceptionally good observing conditions for ground-based observations over terahertz wavebands. The 5 m Dome A Terahertz Explorer （DATES） has been proposed to explore new terahertz windows, primarily over wavelengths between 350 and 200 pm. DATE5 will be an open-air, fully-steerable telescope that can function by unmanned operation with remote control. The telescope will be able to endure the harsh polar environment, including high altitude, very low temperature and very low air pressure. The unique specifications, including high accuracies for surface shape and pointing and fully automatic year-around remote operation, along with a stringent limit on the periods of on-site assembly, testing and maintenance, bring a number of challenges to the design, construction, assembly and operation of this telescope. This paper intro- duces general concepts related to the design of the DATE5 antenna. Beginning from an overview of the environmental and operational limitations, the design specifications and requirements of the DATE5 antenna are listed. From these, major aspects on the conceptual design studies, including the antenna optics, the backup structure, the pan- els, the subreflector, the mounting and the antenna base structure, are explained. Some critical issues of performance are justified through analyses that use computational fluid dynamics, thermal analysis and de-icing studies, and the proposed approaches for test operation and on-site assembly. Based on these studies, we conclude that the specifications of the DATE5 antenna can generally be met by using enhanced technological approaches.展开更多
Dome A, the highest dome of East Antarctic Ice Sheet, is being an area focused by international Antarctic community after Chinese Antarctic Expedition finally reached there in 2005, and with the ongoing International ...Dome A, the highest dome of East Antarctic Ice Sheet, is being an area focused by international Antarctic community after Chinese Antarctic Expedition finally reached there in 2005, and with the ongoing International Polar Year （IPY） during August 2007. In this paper two data processing methods are used together to generate two 100-m cell size digital elevation models （DEMs） of the Dome A region （Dome A-DEM） by using Cokriging method to interpolate the ICESat GLAS data, with Ihde-DEM as a constraint. It provides fundamental data to glaciological and geophysical investigation in this area. The Dome A-DEM was applied to determining the ice-sheet surface elevations and coordinates of the south and north summits, defining boundaries of basins and ice ftowlines, deducing subglacial topography, and mapping surface slope and aspect in Dome A region. The DEM shows there are two （north and south） summits in Dome A region. The coordinate and the surface elevation of the highest point （the north summit） are 80°21＇29.86＂S, 77°21＇50.29＂E and 4092.71±1.43m, respectively. The ice thickness and sub-ice bedrock elevation at north summit are 2420m and 1672m, respectively. Dome A region contains four drainage basins that meet together near the south summit. Ice ftowlines, slope and aspect in detail are also derived using the DEM.展开更多
Dome Argus （Dome A） in East Antarctica is a potentially likely site to meet one of the major objectives of the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences （IPICS） on the oldest ice core, and thus has aroused...Dome Argus （Dome A） in East Antarctica is a potentially likely site to meet one of the major objectives of the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences （IPICS） on the oldest ice core, and thus has aroused wide public and scientific interest. Since 2004/2005, many glaciological investigations have been conducted in this region. These have included GPS and ground-penetrating radar surveys, snow pit and ice core drilling, stake network measurements, and meteorological observations. In this article, the main results of these glaciological investigations in the Dome A region are summarized. We present details of the surface mass balance on different timescales and its spatial variability, geochemical characteristics of the surface snow, and paleo-environment reconstruction of ice cores. Finally, perspectives on the prospects for future studies are suggested.展开更多
Site testing results indicate that Antarctic Dome A is an excellent ground-based astronomical site suitable for observations ranging from visible to infrared wavelengths. However, the harsh environment in Antarctica, ...Site testing results indicate that Antarctic Dome A is an excellent ground-based astronomical site suitable for observations ranging from visible to infrared wavelengths. However, the harsh environment in Antarctica, especially the very low temperature and atmospheric pressure, always produces frost on the telescopes＇ mirrors, which are exposed to the air. Since the Dome A site is still unattended, the Antarctic telescope tubes are always designed to be filled with dry nitrogen, and the outer surfaces of the optical system are heated by an indium-tin oxide thin film. These precautions can prevent the optical surfaces from frosting over, but they degrade the image quality by introducing additional mirror seeing. Based on testing observations of the second Antarctic Survey Telescope （AST3-2） in the Mohe site in China, mirror seeing resulting from the heated aspheric plate has been measured using micro-thermal sensors. Results comparing the real-time atmospheric seeing monitored by the Differential Image Motion Monitor and real-time examinations of image quality agree well.展开更多
The traverse route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A is one of the most important expedition routes of ITASE Project. China carried out 3 inland traverses during the 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999 austral summer fie...The traverse route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A is one of the most important expedition routes of ITASE Project. China carried out 3 inland traverses during the 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999 austral summer field seasons. The field team reached inland 300 km, 500 km and 1100 km away from Zhongshan Station respectively. Some ice motion stakes were set up, occupied and reoccupied along the route by GPS technology. It showed that the ice along the traverse route flowed with an 8 25 ma -1 velocity to the northwest, the direction of the bottom of Lambert Glacier Basin. They coincide with the results along the eastern section from LGB59 70 of the LGB route deduced by Australia in both values and directions. Furthermore, the directions of the horizontal flow are perpendicular to the surface topography contour. The much larger velocity at the point of LT980 with an approximate value of 100 ma -1 was probed. It was caused by a 15 km wide trough on the bed beneath this point.展开更多
During the 21st Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition(CHINARE 21,2004/05),a radar dataset was collected using a ground-based radar system,along a traverse line from Zhongshan Station to DT401(130 km from the ...During the 21st Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition(CHINARE 21,2004/05),a radar dataset was collected using a ground-based radar system,along a traverse line from Zhongshan Station to DT401(130 km from the Kunlun station).The internal layering structure and subglacial conditions were revealed along the radar profi le.Continuous internal layers,disturbed layers,and echo-free zones(EFZs)along the profi le were identifi ed and classifi ed,and the spatial distribution was presented.Based on recent surface ice velocity data,we found that the internal layers at a depth of 200-300 m in the upper ice sheet are continuous,smooth,and nearly parallel to the ice surface topography.In addition,the thick band of continuous layers changes little with increasing latitude.At depths below 300 m,the geometric structure of the internal layers and the vertical width of the EFZ band are infl uenced by the surface ice velocity and bed topography.The relatively high disturbance,layer discontinuity,and larger EFZ band width directly correspond to a higher surface ice velocity and a sharper bed topography.In particular,we found that at a depth of 650-950 km,the Lambert Glacier Rift in the Gamburtsev Mountains has a higher ice fl ow;moreover,the revealed internal layers are disturbed or broken,and the maximal vertical width of the EFZ band most likely exceeds 2000 m.展开更多
The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of marine-origin matter on the Antarctica ice sheet was used to study variations in the source regions, transport mechanisms and postdepositional influences. We present data on ...The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of marine-origin matter on the Antarctica ice sheet was used to study variations in the source regions, transport mechanisms and postdepositional influences. We present data on sea salt ions, sulfur components and stable isotopes from surface and snow pit samples collected along the transect route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A during the austral summer in 2012–2013. A general decreasing trend in the accumulation, sea salt ions and sulfur components occurred with increasing distance from the coast and increasing elevation. However, different sources of the marine components, transport pathways and post-depositional influences were responsible for their different spatial distribution patterns. The marine ions in the coastal snow pit varied seasonally, with higher sea salt ion concentrations in the winter and lower concentrations in the summer; the opposite pattern was found for the sulfur compounds. The sea ice area surrounding Antarctica was the main source region for the deposited sea salt and the open sea water for the sulfur compounds. No significant trends in the marine-origin components were detected during the past 3 decades. Several periods of elevated deposition of sea salt ions were associated with lower temperatures（based on δD and δ18O） or intensified wind fields. In comparison to the sea salt ions, the sulfur concentrations exhibited the opposite distribution patterns and were associated with changes in the surrounding sea ice extent.展开更多
The highest part of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, more than 4000 m above sea level, has been an area that has seen a considerable scientific research effort undertaken by the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedi...The highest part of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, more than 4000 m above sea level, has been an area that has seen a considerable scientific research effort undertaken by the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, and its international collaborators, since January 2005. That includes the establishment of the most remote Of the Chinese Antarctic stations, Kunlun, at Dome A in 2009. However, the exploration and mapping of this region had been commenced many decades earlier, most notably by inland traverses of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year 0GY） and later; and the extensive surveys of Antarctic surface and sub-ice topography by airborne radio-echo sounding made by the US National Science Foundation-Scott Polar Research Institute-Technical University of Denmark （NSF-SPRI-TUD） in the late-1960s and the 1970s. Here we provide a history of the activities and achievements of these earlier programs. Recent topographic maps of the ice sheet surface in the Dome A region, produced using Chinese GPS data and satellite altimetry, have shown the maps compiled from the earlier data were remarkably accurate.展开更多
To enable further advanced study of Antarctica, a new station called Kunlun Station has been built by China in the Dome A region of the inland East Antarctic ice sheet. This paper describes the Antarctic station build...To enable further advanced study of Antarctica, a new station called Kunlun Station has been built by China in the Dome A region of the inland East Antarctic ice sheet. This paper describes the Antarctic station building design system that was developed with consideration of factors that may affect Kunlun Station, such as environment and climate, construction work and transport, environmental protection and energy conservation, psychological requirements and functional requirements. The design system included site selection, station planning, external building form, construction work, function and indoor environment, energy conservation, environmental protection, and material strategy. We also describe the experience acquired during the transportation and construction phases of Kunlun Station.展开更多
This paper summarized the on-orbit measurement performance of GLAS, and analyzed the precision of its data products. By comparing the high-accuracy ICE- Sat measurements with the GPS ground surveys during 21st CHINARE...This paper summarized the on-orbit measurement performance of GLAS, and analyzed the precision of its data products. By comparing the high-accuracy ICE- Sat measurements with the GPS ground surveys during 21st CHINARE inner ice sheets expedition, it is analyzed and validated that the suggested Dome A area and the measured peak point of Antarctica inner ice sheets defined during 21st CHINARE are both correct.展开更多
基金supported by the Space Debris Resear-ch Project,China(KJSP2020010102)the NationalKey R&D Program of China(2022YFC2807300).
文摘Effective motors are crucial for driving astronomical telescopes,especially for those operating in Antarctica,where the harsh environment and operating conditions,including extreme low temperature,ice/snow accumulation,low power consumption,and unattended operation,introduce challenges to the design and development of motor drives.We present the design of a permanent magnet synchronous motor suitable for this environment,conducting a quantitative analysis on the impacts of cryogenic conditions on lubricant performance,differential thermal contraction of metallic components,and remanent flux density of neodymium iron boron(N52)permanent magnets.We also implement a labyrinth seal structure,combined with silicone sealing rings,to mitigate ice crystal intrusion risks.Finite element analysis and laboratory tests demonstrate a maximum torque output of 25 Nm.This kind of motor is used in the Antarctic 15 cm Near Infrared Telescope at Dome A,Antarctica.Operation data shows a total encoder feedback error of 0.0678"for the telescope control system with 15"s^(−1)tracking speed at−56.79°C.These results comprehensively validate the high reliability and precision of the motor under the extreme conditions of the polar environment.
基金supported by the Space Debris Research Project,China(KJSP2020010102)the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC2807300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(12573081)。
文摘Dome A,in Antarctica,offers an exceptional site for ground-based infrared astronomy,with its extremely low atmospheric infrared background noise and excellent seeing conditions.However,deploying near-infrared telescopes in the harsh environment of Antarctica faces the critical challenge of frost accumulation on optical mirrors.While indium tin oxide heating films effectively defrost visible-band Antarctic astronomical telescopes,their thermal radiation at infrared wavelengths introduces significant stray light,severely degrading the signal-to-noise ratio for infrared observations.To address this limitation,we have designed a mechanical snow-removal system capable of efficiently clearing frost from sealing window surfaces at temperatures as low as–80°C.Aperture photometry of target sources,Canopus and HD 2151,revealed that after six days without intervention,floating snow extinction reduced target brightness by up to 3 magnitudes.Following mechanical defrosting,the source flux recovered to stable levels,with measured magnitudes showing rapid initial improvement followed by stabilization.Data analysis indicates that a frost removal strategy operating every 48 h,with each operation consisting of 4–6 cycles,enables efficient removal of frost and snow without introducing additional thermal noise.Future work will focus on optimizing the adaptive control algorithm and exploring novel low-temperature defrosting materials to extend the periods during which Antarctic infrared telescopes can operate unattended.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC),grant number 42076234the National Key Research and Development Program of China,grant number 2021YFC2801404。
文摘The thickness and upper densification structure of an ice sheet are important parameters for dynamic ice sheet modeling and glacier mass balance studies.Seismic ambient noise methods,such as the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio(H/V)method and ambient noise cross-correlation method,are becoming increasingly popular in glacier structure investigations.During China's 39th expedition to Antarctica,seismic ambient noise experiments were conducted to investigate the structure of the ice sheet at Kunlun Station,Dome A,using a seismic nodal system.We obtained a broad band(0.1–10 Hz)H/V curve with a 1-hour noise record from a seismic node.In addition,we extracted the Rayleigh wave dispersion curve with 5-day noise cross-correlation functions from a linear dense seismic array.Three clear peaks were observed in the H/V curve—a lower peak at~0.17 Hz and two higher frequency peaks at~3 Hz and~6 Hz.We inverted the ice sheet thickness using the lower frequency portion of the H/V curve and inverted the upper structure of the ice sheet using the higher frequency portion of the H/V curve jointly with the dispersion curve.Our estimations from ambient noise observations were consistent with those derived from the BedMachine ice sheet thickness dataset and the density profile determined by ground-penetrating radar investigations at the same site.
基金supported by the Space Debris Research Project,China(KJSP2020010102)the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC2807300).
文摘With excellent seeing conditions,ultra-low infrared background noise,high frequency of space debris transits,and continuous polar night coverage,Dome A in Antarctica has become an ideal platform for ground-based astronomy and space situational monitoring.As a crucial observatory site for international deep space,deep Earth,deep sea,and polar exploration,it is very important to evaluate the suitability of Dome A as an observatory site.However,owing to extreme environmental constraints,the evaluation of site conditions is mainly based on single-point measurements,making it challenging to comprehensively evaluate the effective site range and uniformity.This study integrated satellite remote sensing data to develop a cross-comparison framework for diverse indicators across Dome A,to evaluate its spatial uniformity.We find that the area surrounding the Dome A site,defined within a roughly 1°×1°latitude and longitude range,possesses excellent astronomical observation conditions.
文摘Some GPS points were set up and occupied and reoccupied along the traverse route from Zhongshan Station to DomeA.The result analysis for the GPS data processed by GAMIT/GLOBK package was presented in this paper.It was indicated that the ice along the traverse route flowed with an 825 m/a velocity to the northwest in the last three years,which was the direction of the edge of the ice sheet.The maximum horizontal flow velocity is about 100 m/a.Moreover,due to the ice flow,a 0.21 m/a sedimentation rate is achieved.Finally,a 15 m/a 2 horizontal acceleration is achieved from the GPS data of the three different stages.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China
文摘As the highest, coldest and driest place in Antarctica, Dome A provides exceptionally good observing conditions for ground-based observations over terahertz wavebands. The 5 m Dome A Terahertz Explorer （DATES） has been proposed to explore new terahertz windows, primarily over wavelengths between 350 and 200 pm. DATE5 will be an open-air, fully-steerable telescope that can function by unmanned operation with remote control. The telescope will be able to endure the harsh polar environment, including high altitude, very low temperature and very low air pressure. The unique specifications, including high accuracies for surface shape and pointing and fully automatic year-around remote operation, along with a stringent limit on the periods of on-site assembly, testing and maintenance, bring a number of challenges to the design, construction, assembly and operation of this telescope. This paper intro- duces general concepts related to the design of the DATE5 antenna. Beginning from an overview of the environmental and operational limitations, the design specifications and requirements of the DATE5 antenna are listed. From these, major aspects on the conceptual design studies, including the antenna optics, the backup structure, the pan- els, the subreflector, the mounting and the antenna base structure, are explained. Some critical issues of performance are justified through analyses that use computational fluid dynamics, thermal analysis and de-icing studies, and the proposed approaches for test operation and on-site assembly. Based on these studies, we conclude that the specifications of the DATE5 antenna can generally be met by using enhanced technological approaches.
基金Under the auspices of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 40471028, No. 40476005)ShanghaiShu Guang Project (No. 05SG46)
文摘Dome A, the highest dome of East Antarctic Ice Sheet, is being an area focused by international Antarctic community after Chinese Antarctic Expedition finally reached there in 2005, and with the ongoing International Polar Year （IPY） during August 2007. In this paper two data processing methods are used together to generate two 100-m cell size digital elevation models （DEMs） of the Dome A region （Dome A-DEM） by using Cokriging method to interpolate the ICESat GLAS data, with Ihde-DEM as a constraint. It provides fundamental data to glaciological and geophysical investigation in this area. The Dome A-DEM was applied to determining the ice-sheet surface elevations and coordinates of the south and north summits, defining boundaries of basins and ice ftowlines, deducing subglacial topography, and mapping surface slope and aspect in Dome A region. The DEM shows there are two （north and south） summits in Dome A region. The coordinate and the surface elevation of the highest point （the north summit） are 80°21＇29.86＂S, 77°21＇50.29＂E and 4092.71±1.43m, respectively. The ice thickness and sub-ice bedrock elevation at north summit are 2420m and 1672m, respectively. Dome A region contains four drainage basins that meet together near the south summit. Ice ftowlines, slope and aspect in detail are also derived using the DEM.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 41330526)Natural Science Foundation of Shanghai (Grant no. 17ZR1433200)National Key R & D Program of China (Grant no. 2016YFC1400302)
文摘Dome Argus （Dome A） in East Antarctica is a potentially likely site to meet one of the major objectives of the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences （IPICS） on the oldest ice core, and thus has aroused wide public and scientific interest. Since 2004/2005, many glaciological investigations have been conducted in this region. These have included GPS and ground-penetrating radar surveys, snow pit and ice core drilling, stake network measurements, and meteorological observations. In this article, the main results of these glaciological investigations in the Dome A region are summarized. We present details of the surface mass balance on different timescales and its spatial variability, geochemical characteristics of the surface snow, and paleo-environment reconstruction of ice cores. Finally, perspectives on the prospects for future studies are suggested.
基金supported by the China Polar Science Strategy Research Fund project (Grant no. 20120314)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant no. 11190013)
文摘Site testing results indicate that Antarctic Dome A is an excellent ground-based astronomical site suitable for observations ranging from visible to infrared wavelengths. However, the harsh environment in Antarctica, especially the very low temperature and atmospheric pressure, always produces frost on the telescopes＇ mirrors, which are exposed to the air. Since the Dome A site is still unattended, the Antarctic telescope tubes are always designed to be filled with dry nitrogen, and the outer surfaces of the optical system are heated by an indium-tin oxide thin film. These precautions can prevent the optical surfaces from frosting over, but they degrade the image quality by introducing additional mirror seeing. Based on testing observations of the second Antarctic Survey Telescope （AST3-2） in the Mohe site in China, mirror seeing resulting from the heated aspheric plate has been measured using micro-thermal sensors. Results comparing the real-time atmospheric seeing monitored by the Differential Image Motion Monitor and real-time examinations of image quality agree well.
文摘The traverse route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A is one of the most important expedition routes of ITASE Project. China carried out 3 inland traverses during the 1996/1997, 1997/1998, 1998/1999 austral summer field seasons. The field team reached inland 300 km, 500 km and 1100 km away from Zhongshan Station respectively. Some ice motion stakes were set up, occupied and reoccupied along the route by GPS technology. It showed that the ice along the traverse route flowed with an 8 25 ma -1 velocity to the northwest, the direction of the bottom of Lambert Glacier Basin. They coincide with the results along the eastern section from LGB59 70 of the LGB route deduced by Australia in both values and directions. Furthermore, the directions of the horizontal flow are perpendicular to the surface topography contour. The much larger velocity at the point of LT980 with an approximate value of 100 ma -1 was probed. It was caused by a 15 km wide trough on the bed beneath this point.
基金This research is supported by the Funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China(41876230,41376192)the Major National Scientifi c Research Project on Global Changes(973 Project)(2013CBA01804)Comprehensive Investigation&Assessment Programs(CHINARE2017-01-01).
文摘During the 21st Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition(CHINARE 21,2004/05),a radar dataset was collected using a ground-based radar system,along a traverse line from Zhongshan Station to DT401(130 km from the Kunlun station).The internal layering structure and subglacial conditions were revealed along the radar profi le.Continuous internal layers,disturbed layers,and echo-free zones(EFZs)along the profi le were identifi ed and classifi ed,and the spatial distribution was presented.Based on recent surface ice velocity data,we found that the internal layers at a depth of 200-300 m in the upper ice sheet are continuous,smooth,and nearly parallel to the ice surface topography.In addition,the thick band of continuous layers changes little with increasing latitude.At depths below 300 m,the geometric structure of the internal layers and the vertical width of the EFZ band are infl uenced by the surface ice velocity and bed topography.The relatively high disturbance,layer discontinuity,and larger EFZ band width directly correspond to a higher surface ice velocity and a sharper bed topography.In particular,we found that at a depth of 650-950 km,the Lambert Glacier Rift in the Gamburtsev Mountains has a higher ice fl ow;moreover,the revealed internal layers are disturbed or broken,and the maximal vertical width of the EFZ band most likely exceeds 2000 m.
基金financially supported by the Innovative Research Group,the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41121001)the National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program,No.2013CBA01804)+3 种基金the State Key Laboratory of Cryospheric Sciences supporting fund(No.SKLCS-ZZ-2015-01)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41201069,41476164)the State Oceanic Administration of People's Republic of China Project on Climate in Polar Regions(Nos.CHINARE 2015-04-04 and CHINARE 2015-02-02)the Foundation for Excellent Youth Scholars of Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute,Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAREERI,CAS)
文摘The spatiotemporal distribution pattern of marine-origin matter on the Antarctica ice sheet was used to study variations in the source regions, transport mechanisms and postdepositional influences. We present data on sea salt ions, sulfur components and stable isotopes from surface and snow pit samples collected along the transect route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A during the austral summer in 2012–2013. A general decreasing trend in the accumulation, sea salt ions and sulfur components occurred with increasing distance from the coast and increasing elevation. However, different sources of the marine components, transport pathways and post-depositional influences were responsible for their different spatial distribution patterns. The marine ions in the coastal snow pit varied seasonally, with higher sea salt ion concentrations in the winter and lower concentrations in the summer; the opposite pattern was found for the sulfur compounds. The sea ice area surrounding Antarctica was the main source region for the deposited sea salt and the open sea water for the sulfur compounds. No significant trends in the marine-origin components were detected during the past 3 decades. Several periods of elevated deposition of sea salt ions were associated with lower temperatures（based on δD and δ18O） or intensified wind fields. In comparison to the sea salt ions, the sulfur concentrations exhibited the opposite distribution patterns and were associated with changes in the surrounding sea ice extent.
文摘The highest part of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, more than 4000 m above sea level, has been an area that has seen a considerable scientific research effort undertaken by the Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition, and its international collaborators, since January 2005. That includes the establishment of the most remote Of the Chinese Antarctic stations, Kunlun, at Dome A in 2009. However, the exploration and mapping of this region had been commenced many decades earlier, most notably by inland traverses of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics during the 1957-1958 International Geophysical Year 0GY） and later; and the extensive surveys of Antarctic surface and sub-ice topography by airborne radio-echo sounding made by the US National Science Foundation-Scott Polar Research Institute-Technical University of Denmark （NSF-SPRI-TUD） in the late-1960s and the 1970s. Here we provide a history of the activities and achievements of these earlier programs. Recent topographic maps of the ice sheet surface in the Dome A region, produced using Chinese GPS data and satellite altimetry, have shown the maps compiled from the earlier data were remarkably accurate.
基金the Architectural Design and Research Institute of Tsinghua University that supported
文摘To enable further advanced study of Antarctica, a new station called Kunlun Station has been built by China in the Dome A region of the inland East Antarctic ice sheet. This paper describes the Antarctic station building design system that was developed with consideration of factors that may affect Kunlun Station, such as environment and climate, construction work and transport, environmental protection and energy conservation, psychological requirements and functional requirements. The design system included site selection, station planning, external building form, construction work, function and indoor environment, energy conservation, environmental protection, and material strategy. We also describe the experience acquired during the transportation and construction phases of Kunlun Station.
文摘This paper summarized the on-orbit measurement performance of GLAS, and analyzed the precision of its data products. By comparing the high-accuracy ICE- Sat measurements with the GPS ground surveys during 21st CHINARE inner ice sheets expedition, it is analyzed and validated that the suggested Dome A area and the measured peak point of Antarctica inner ice sheets defined during 21st CHINARE are both correct.
