Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica
Cryoconite holes are structures characteristic of the glacierised ablation areas, formed from dark sediment deposition which melt the glacier ice leading to their cylindrical structure formation. The present study focuses on an unstudied blue ice area of East Antarctica over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf...
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| Format: | Article |
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Cambridge University Press
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552400020X/type/journal_article |
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| author | Giacomo Traversa Riccardo Scipinotti Samuele Pierattini Gianluca Bianchi Fasani Biagio Di Mauro |
| author_facet | Giacomo Traversa Riccardo Scipinotti Samuele Pierattini Gianluca Bianchi Fasani Biagio Di Mauro |
| author_sort | Giacomo Traversa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Cryoconite holes are structures characteristic of the glacierised ablation areas, formed from dark sediment deposition which melt the glacier ice leading to their cylindrical structure formation. The present study focuses on an unstudied blue ice area of East Antarctica over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf in Northern Victoria Land. Taking advantage of neural network methodology applied on drone acquisitions, an automatic detection of cryoconite holes was carried out (88% of accuracy), mapping ~3500 m2 (0.4% fractional cover) of cryoconite holes over an area of 900 000 m2. The surveyed area showed heterogeneity in cryoconite hole distribution, with some regions showing an area fraction of holes (regions exhibiting frozen ponds and ice bands) as high as 8%. Thanks to this detection, the spatially integrated radiative forcing of cryoconite holes over blue ice surface was estimated to be almost 1 Wm−2. This estimation was based on the measured albedo difference between the two surfaces, which averages 0.31. However, the radiative forcing is strongly increased if calculated at a single cryoconite hole scale, showing an average of ~200 Wm−2. In conclusion, the present research represents a first attempt of analysing cryoconite holes as factors impacting the blue ice in Northern Victoria Land, deepening our understanding of their glaciological role at the margins of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a04ed42eeb1042dbaf9844194ae8febe |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-a04ed42eeb1042dbaf9844194ae8febe2025-08-20T02:03:46ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442024-01-016510.1017/aog.2024.20Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East AntarcticaGiacomo Traversa0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3108-887XRiccardo Scipinotti1Samuele Pierattini2Gianluca Bianchi Fasani3Biagio Di Mauro4Institute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy, 20126 Milan, ItalyTechnical Antarctic Unit, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, 40129 Bologna, ItalyComputer Systems and ICT Development, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, ItalyTechnical Antarctic Unit, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, 00123 Rome, ItalyInstitute of Polar Sciences, National Research Council of Italy, 20126 Milan, ItalyCryoconite holes are structures characteristic of the glacierised ablation areas, formed from dark sediment deposition which melt the glacier ice leading to their cylindrical structure formation. The present study focuses on an unstudied blue ice area of East Antarctica over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf in Northern Victoria Land. Taking advantage of neural network methodology applied on drone acquisitions, an automatic detection of cryoconite holes was carried out (88% of accuracy), mapping ~3500 m2 (0.4% fractional cover) of cryoconite holes over an area of 900 000 m2. The surveyed area showed heterogeneity in cryoconite hole distribution, with some regions showing an area fraction of holes (regions exhibiting frozen ponds and ice bands) as high as 8%. Thanks to this detection, the spatially integrated radiative forcing of cryoconite holes over blue ice surface was estimated to be almost 1 Wm−2. This estimation was based on the measured albedo difference between the two surfaces, which averages 0.31. However, the radiative forcing is strongly increased if calculated at a single cryoconite hole scale, showing an average of ~200 Wm−2. In conclusion, the present research represents a first attempt of analysing cryoconite holes as factors impacting the blue ice in Northern Victoria Land, deepening our understanding of their glaciological role at the margins of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552400020X/type/journal_articleAntarctic glaciologyblue iceice shelvesremote sensing |
| spellingShingle | Giacomo Traversa Riccardo Scipinotti Samuele Pierattini Gianluca Bianchi Fasani Biagio Di Mauro Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica Annals of Glaciology Antarctic glaciology blue ice ice shelves remote sensing |
| title | Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica |
| title_full | Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica |
| title_fullStr | Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica |
| title_short | Cryoconite holes geomorphometry, spatial distribution and radiative impact over the Hells Gate Ice Shelf, East Antarctica |
| title_sort | cryoconite holes geomorphometry spatial distribution and radiative impact over the hells gate ice shelf east antarctica |
| topic | Antarctic glaciology blue ice ice shelves remote sensing |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S026030552400020X/type/journal_article |
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