Large-scale outbursts of lakes in the Antarctic oases: current knowledge

A. S. Boronina

doi:10.31857/S2076673422010122

Large-scale outbursts of lakes in the Antarctic oases: current knowledge

A. S. Boronina

https://doi.org/10.31857/S2076673422010122

Full Text:

Abstract

In recent decades, the importance of studying the outburst lakes of Antarctic oases has been increasing, which is associated with a number of applied and fundamental problems. First of all, because supraglacial, englacial, and glacier-dammed lakes are characterized by a quick response to the climate changes. In the applied aspect, active (unstable) lakes and seasonal streams are relevant for research since they often provoke catastrophic natural disasters. Monitoring and prevention of such events are primarily necessary in the areas of Antarctic stations, where many year-round and seasonal research programs are implemented. This article presents historical and the present- day data and descriptions of lake outbursts located in the oases of East Antarctica. The study is based on the generalization of both published and unpublished materials presented in the funds of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (St. Petersburg), in scientific and technical reports of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition and Russian Antarctic Expedition, Information bulletins (newsletters) of the Soviet Antarctic expeditions, and foreign articles. In addition to that, the results of fieldwork carried out in 2017–2020 were used. Currently, the aforementioned materials are in different form and funds, so the proposed study is the first step of generalizing research on the potential outburst water bodies on the Antarctic Continent. Through to the ongoing work, albeit irregular, our understanding of functioning of the surface hydrological systems of Antarctic oases is steadily growing.

Keywords

Antarctic oases, hazardous hydrological processes, outbursts of lakes, hydrological research, East Antarctica,

About the Author

A. S. Boronina

State Hydrological Institute; Saint-Petersburg State University
Russian Federation
St. Petersburg

References

1. Fretwell P., Pritchard H.D., Vaughan D.G., Bamber J.L., Barrand N.E., Bell R., Bianchi C., Bingham R.G., Blankenship D.D., Casassa G., Catania G., Callens D., Conway H., Cook A.J., Corr H.F.J., Damaske D., Damm V., Ferraccioli F., Forsberg R., Fujita S., Gim Y., Gogineni P., Griggs J.A., Hindmarsh R.C.A., Holmlund P., Holt J.W., Jacobel R.W., Jenkins A., Jokat W., Jordan T., King E.C., Kohler J., Krabill W., Riger-Kusk M., Langley K.A., Leitchenkov G., Leuschen C., Luyendyk B.P., Matsuoka K., Mouginot J., Nitsche F.O., Nogi Y., Nost O.A., Popov S.V., Rignot E., Rippin D.M., Rivera A., Roberts J., Ross N., Siegert M.J., Smith A.M., Steinhage D., Studinger M., Sun B., Tinto B.K., Welch B.C., Wilson D., Young D.A., Xiangbin C., Zirizzotti A. Bedmap2: improved icebed, surface and thickness data sets for Antarctica. Cryosphere. 2013, 7: 375–393. doi: 10.5194/tc-7-375-2013.

2. Van Wessem J.M., Reijmer C.H., Morlighem M., Mouginot J., Rignot E., Medley B., Joughin I., Wouters B., Depoorter M.A., Bamber J.L., Lenaerts J.T.M., Van De Berg W.J., Van Den Broeke M.R., Van Meijgaard E. Improved reprsentation of East Antarctic surface mass balance in a regional atmospheric climate model. Journ. of Glaciology. 2014, 60 (222): 761–770.

3. Van Wessem J.M., Jan Van De Berg W., Noël B.P. et al. Modelling the climate and surface mass balance of polar ice sheets using racmo2: Part 2: Antarctica (1979–2016). Cryosphere. 2018, 12 (4): 1479–1498.

4. Sokratova I.N. Hydrological research in Antarctic oases. Meteorologiya i gidrologiya. Meteorology and Hydrology. 2011, 3: 91–103. [In Russian].

5. Sokratova I.N. Antarkticheskie oazisy. Antarctic oases. St. Petersburg: AANII, 2010: 274 p. [In Russian].

6. Howat I.M., Porter C., Smith B.E., Noh M.J., Morin P. The Reference Elevation Model of Antarctica. Cryosphere. 2019, 13: 665–674. doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-665-2019.

7. Antarctic Digital Database (ADD), Version 7.0, January 2016. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge.

8. Averyanov V. Flood at Novolazarevskaya station. Inform. Byull. Sovetskoy antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii. Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1965, 52: 53–74. [In Russian].

9. Boronina A.S., Chetverova A.A., Popov S.V., Pryakhina G.V. Overview of potentially outburst lakes and the consequences of floods in the Hills of Tala and Larsemann (East Antarctica). II Vserossiyskaya nauchnoprakticheskaya konferentsiya «Sovremennye tendentsii i perspektivy razvitiya gidrometeorologii v Rossii», 5–7 iyunya 2019 g. Proc. of the II All-Russian Scientific and Practical Conf. «Modern Trends and Prospects for the Development of Hydrometeorology in Russia», June 5–7, 2019. Irkutsk, 2019: 307–318. [In Russian].

10. Gillieson D., Burgess J., Spate A., Cochrane A. An atlas of the lakes of the Larsemann Hills, Princess Elizabeth Land, Antarctica. ANARE Research Notes. Antarctic Division Australia. 1990, 74: 173 р.

11. Simonov I.M. Oazisy Vostochnoy Antarktidy. Oases of East Antarctica. Leningrad: Hydrometeoizdat, 1971: 176 p. [In Russian].

12. Otchyot o rabote stancii Progress, 48 Rossijskaya Antarkticheskaya ehkspediciya. A report on the work at Progress station, 48nd Russian Antarctic Expedition. St. Petersburg: Archive FGBU AARI. 2004, inv. No. O-3553: 204 р. [In Russian].

13. Dvornikov Yu.A., Evdokimov A.A. Nauchno-tekhnicheskiy otchet po programme gidroekologicheskikh issledovaniy na stantsii Progress v sezonnyy period 62-j RAE. Scientific and technical report on the program of hydroecological studies at Progress Station during the seasonal period of the 62nd RAE. St. Petersburg: Archive FGBU AARI, 2017: 50 p. [In Russian].

14. Pryakhina G.V., Chetverova A.A., Grigorieva S.D., Boronina A.S., Popov S.V. Breakthrough of Lake Progress (East Antarctica): a phenomenological model and approaches to assessing the characteristics of a flash flood. Led i Sneg. Ice and Snow. 2020, 60 (4): 613–622. doi.org/10.31857/S2076673420040065. [In Russian].

15. Grigoreva S.D., Kiniabaeva E.R., Kuznetsova M.R., Popov S.V., Kashkevich M.P. Structure of snow-ice dams of the outburst lakes in the Broknes Peninsula (Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica) based on groundpenetrating radar data. Led i Sneg. Ice and Snow. 2021, 61 (2): 291–300. doi.org/10.31857/S2076673421020089. [In Russian].

16. Grigoreva S.D., Kiniabaeva E.R., Kuznetsova M.R. Polevoy otchet o rabotakh otryada inzhenernykh izyskaniy v sezon 65-y RAE. Field report on the work of the engineering survey team during the 65th RAE season. St. Petersburg: Archive FGBU AARI, 2020: 170 p. [In Russian].

17. Popov S.V., Pryakhin S.S., Bliakharskii D.P., Pryakhina G.V., Tyurin S.V. Vast ice depression in Dålk Glacier, East Antarctica. Ice and Snow. 2017, 57 (3): 427–432.

18. Boronina A., Popov S., Pryakhina G., Chetverova A., Ryzhova E., Grigoreva S. Formation of a large ice depression on Dålk Glacier (Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica) caused by the rapid drainage of an englacial cavity. Journ. of Glaciology. 2021, 67 (266): 1121–1136. doi: 10.1017/jog.2021.58.

19. Antarctic Xiehe Peninsula orthophoto. Scale 1:4000. Heilongjiang Polar Engineering Center of Surveying & Mapping and Heilongjiang Institute of Geomatics Engineering. China, 2006.

20. Larsemann Hills. Princess Elizabeth Land. Antarctica. Satellite image map. Edition 3. Map number 14241, Scale 1:25 000. 2015. Australian Antarctic Division.

21. Grigoreva S.D., Deshevykh G.A., Ryzhova E.V., Chetverova A.A. Polevoy otchet o provedenii ledoissledovatel'skikh izyskaniy v rayone rossiyskikh antarkticheskikh stantsiy Progress, Mirnyy, Novolazarevskaya i polevykh baz Molodezhnaya, Oazis Bangera v sezon 64-y RAE. Tom I. Raboty gidrologo- geofizicheskoy gruppy v rayone stantsii Progress I polevoy bazy Molodezhnaya. Field report on research surveys in the area of the Russian Antarctic stations: Progress, Mirny, Novolazarevskaya and field bases Molodezhnaya, Banger Oasis during the 64th RAE season. V. I. Study of the hydrological-geophysical group in the area of Progress Station and the Molodezhnaya field base. St. Petersburg: Archive FGBU AARI, 2019: 62 p. [In Russian].

22. Boronina A.S., Popov S.V., Pryakhina G.V. Hydrological characteristics of lakes in the eastern part of the Broknes Peninsula, Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica Led i Sneg. Ice and Snow. 2019, 59 (1): 39–48. [In Russian]. doi: 10.15356/2076-6734-2019-1-39-48.

23. Simonov I.M., Fedotov V.I. Schirmacher oasis lakes. Inform. byull. Sovetskoy antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii. Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1964, 47: 19–23. [In Russian].

24. Ingole B.S., Parulekar A.H. Limnology of freshwater lakes of Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica. Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy. 1993, 59 (6): 589–600.

25. Ravindra R., Chaturvedi A., Beg, M.J. Melt water lakes of Schirmacher Oasis-their genetic aspects and classification. Advances in Marine and Antarctic Sciences. 2002: 301–313.

26. Phartiyal B., Sharma A., Bera S.K. Glacial lakes and geomorphological evolution of Schirmacher Oasis, East Antarctica, during late quaternary. Quaternary Intern. 2011, 235 (1–2): 128–136.

27. Kosenko N.G., Kolobov D.D. Survey of Lake Unter- See. Informatsionnyi byulleten Sovetskoy Antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii.Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1970, 79: 65–69. [In Russian].

28. Hermichen W.-D., Kowski P., Wand U. Lake Untersee, a first isotope study of the largest freshwater lake in the interior of East Antarctica. Nature. 1985, 315 (6015): 131–133.

29. Wand U., Schwarz G., Bruggemann E., Brauer K. Evidence for physical and chemical stratification in Lake Untersee (central Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica). Antarctic Science. 1997, 9 (1): 43–45. doi. org/10.1017/S0954102097000060.

30. Andreev M., Andersen D., Kurbatova L., Smirnova S., Chaplygina O. Lichens, bryophytes and terrestrial algae of the Lake Untersee Oasis (Wohlthat Massiv, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica). Czech Polar Reports. 2020, 10 (2): 203–225.

31. AndreevM. Study of terrestrial flora in the Lake Utersee oasis (Voltat Massif, Queen Maud Land, Antarctica) in November - December 2018. Rossiyskie polyarnye issledovaniya. Russian polar research. 2019, 20: 28–31. [In Russian].

32. Vaigachev A.Z. Breakthrough of ice dump of Lagernoye lake. Informatsionnyi byulleten Sovetskoy Antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii. Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1965, 54: 58. [In Russian].

33. Otchet o glyatsiogidrologicheskikh rabotakh v rayone st. Molodezhnaya v sezon 1969-1970 gg. 15-ya Sovetskaya antarkticheskaya ekspeditsiya. A report on glaciohydrological works in the area of Molodezhnaya Station in the 1969–1970 season 15th Soviet Antarctic Expedition. St. Petersburg: Archive FGBU AARI. 1970, inv. No. О-1790: 34 р. [In Russian].

34. Kaup E. Trophic status of lakes in Thala Hills – records from the years 1967 and 1988. Proc. NIPR Symp. Polar Biol. 1998, 11: 82–91.

35. Topograficheskaya karta rayona stantsii Molodezhnaya, masshtab 1:50000. Topographic map of the Molodezhnaya station area, scale 1:50,000. Soyuzmorniiproject, 1972. [In Russian].

36. Atlas Okeanov. Antarktika. Red. V.I. Kuroedov. Atlas of the Oceans. Antarctica. Ed. V.I. Kuroedov. St. Petersburg: Main Directorate of Navigation and Oceanography of the Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation, 2005: 280 p. [In Russian].

37. Vtorushin V.N., Prokofiev Yu.A., Shirnin N.K. Otchet ob aerodromnykh rabotakh na polevoy baze «Gora Vechernyaya » v Antarktide v period zimovki 34 SAE i sezona 35 SAE. Report on aerodrome work at the Vechernyaya Mountain field base in Antarctica during the wintering period of the 34th and 35th SAE season. Leningrad: GOSFOND, SSC RFAANII, 1990: inv. No. О-3098. [In Russian].

38. MelnikA.Yu., Laiba A.A. A dried-up lake in the Fisher Massif region (Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica). Informatsionnyi byulleten Sovetskoy Antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii. Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1994, 118: 108–110. [In Russian].

39. Topograficheskaya karta. Antarktida. Gory Prins-Charl'z. Massiv Fisher. R-42 XXXI, XXXII. Masshtab 1:200000. Topographic map. Antarctica. Prince Charles Mountains. Fisher Array. R-42 XXXI, XXXII. Scale 1: 200000. M.: GUGK, 1974. [In Russian].

40. Gibson J.A.E. The meromictic lakes and stratified marine basins of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Anarctic Science. 1999, 11 (2): 175–192.

41. Bronge C. The hydrology of proglacial Chelnok Lake, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. Stockholms Universitet, Research report. 1989, 74: 29.

42. Gore D.B. Ice-damming and fluvial erosion in the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science. 1992, 4: 227–234.

43. Bronge C. Hydrology of Tierney Creek, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica. Polar Record. 1999, 35 (193): 139–148.

44. Colbeck G. Hydrographic project, Davis 1976. Antarctic Division Technical Memorandum. 1977, 66: 1–44.

45. Gore D.B., Pickard J. Proglacial hydrology and drainage, southeastern Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales. Linnean Society of New South Wales. 1998, 119: 181–196.

46. Klokov V.D., Verkulich S.R. Features of the hydrological regime of the reservoirs of the Bunger Oasis. Informatsionnyi byulleten Sovetskoy Antarkticheskoy ekspeditsii. Inform. bull. Soviet Antarctic expedition. 1994, 118: 60–68. [In Russian].

47. Chinn T.J. Physical hydrology of the Dry Valley Lakes. Antarctic Research Series. 1993, 59: 1–52.

48. Hendy C.H. Late Quaternary lakes in the McMurdo Sound region of Antarctica. Geografiska Annaler: Series A, Physical Geograph. 2000, 82 (2–3): 411–432.

49. Bomblies A., McKnight D.M., Andrews E.D. Retrospective simulation of lake-level rise in Lake Bonney based on recent 21-year record: indication of recent climate change in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Journ. of Paleolimnology. 2001, 25 (4): 477–492.

50. Doran P.T. McKay C.P., Fountain, A.G. et al. Hydrologic response to extreme warm and cold summers in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science. 2008, 20 (5): 499–509.

51. Lyons W.B., Tyler S.W., Wharton R.A. et al. A Late Holocene desiccation of Lake Hoare and Lake Fryxell, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Antarctic Science. 1998, 10: 247–256.

52. Lyons W.B., Welch K.A., Sharma P. Chlorine-36 in the waters of the McMurdo Dry Valley lakes, southern Victoria Land, Antarctica: revisited. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. 1998, 62: 185–191.

53. Doran P.T. Paleolimnology of perenially ice-covered Antarctic Oasis Lakes. Diss. University of Nevada, Reno, 1996.

54. Paige R. Sub-Surface Melt Pools in the McMurdo Ice Shelf, Antarctica. Journ. of Glaciology. 1968, 7 (51): 511–516. doi: 10.3189/S0022143000020700.

55. Popov S.V., Sukhanova A.A., Polyakov S.P. Using georadar profiling techniques for the safety of transport operations of the Russian Antarctic Expedition. Meteorologiya I gidrologiya. Russian Meteorology and Hydrology. 2020, 2: 126–131. [In Russian].

56. Pryakhina G.V., Boronina A.S., Popov S.V., Chetverova A.A. Hydrological studies of lake outbursts in the Antarctic oases. Russian Meteorology and Hydrology. 2020, 2: 118–123.

57. Sukhanova A.A., Popov S.V., Boronina A.S., Grigorieva S.D., Kashkevich M.P. Geophysical surveys in the vicinity of the Progress Station, East Antarctica, performed during the 63rd RAE season (2017/18). Led i Sneg. Ice and Snow. 2020, 60 (1): 149–160. [In Russian]. doi: 10.31857/S2076673420010030.

58. Nye J.F. Water flow in glaciers: jökulhlaups, tunnels, and veins. Journ. of Glaciology. 1976, 17 (76): 181–207.

59. Björnsson H. Jökulhlaups in Iceland: prediction, characteristics and simulation. Annals of Glaciology. 1992, 16: 95–106.

60. Clarke G.K.C. Hydraulics of subglacial outburst floods: new insights from the Spring–Hutter formulation. Journ. of Glaciology. 2003, 49 (165): 299–313.

61. Fowler A.C. Dynamics of subglacial floods. Proc. Royal Society. A. Mathematical Physics. Engineering Sciences. 2009, 465 (2106): 1809–1828.

62. Popov S.V., Priakhina G.V., Boronina A.S. Otsenka raskhoda vody v protsesse razvitiya proryvnogo pavodka lednikovykh I podlednikovykh vodoyemov. Estimation of water discharge during development of glacial and subglacial outburst floods. Kriosfera Zemli. Earth’s Cryosphere. 2019, XXIII (3): 25–32. [In Russian].

Supplementary files

For citation: Boronina A.S. Large-scale outbursts of lakes in the Antarctic oases: current knowledge. Ice and Snow. 2022;62(1):141-160. https://doi.org/10.31857/S2076673422010122

Refbacks

There are currently no refbacks.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

ISSN 2076-6734 (Print)
ISSN 2412-3765 (Online)

Username
Password