Snow megadune fields on the East Antarctic Plateau: Extreme atmosphere-ice interaction

  1. Mark A. Fahnestock1,
  2. Ted A. Scambos2,
  3. Christopher A. Shuman1,
  4. Robert J. Arthern3,
  5. Dale P. Winebrenner3,
  6. Ron Kwok4

Article first published online: 7 DEC 2012

DOI: 10.1029/1999GL011248

Issue

Geophysical Research Letters

Geophysical Research Letters

Volume 27, Issue 22, pages 3719–3722, 15 November 2000

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Author Information

  1. 1

    Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland

  2. 2

    National Snow and Ice Data Center,CIRES, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

  3. 3

    Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

  4. 4

    Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institue of Technology, Pasadena, California

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 7 DEC 2012
  2. Article first published online: 7 DEC 2012
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 13 JUL 2000
  4. Manuscript Received: 12 NOV 1999

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Large dune fields occupy more than 500,000 km² of the East Antarctic Plateau. The “megadunes”, or long-wavelength surface ripples, have amplitudes of only a few meters, wavelengths of a few kilometers, and parallel crests which can extend one hundred kilometers. They occur in areas characterized by low accumulation, extensively recrystallized snow, and strong scattering of the microwave part of the spectrum. Dune crests are oriented perpendicular to the regional katabatic wind direction. Snow megadunes are unlikely to be formed by simple wind transport of snow particles.

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