MONITORING OF KING GEORGE ISLAND (SOUTH SHETLANDS, ANTARCTICA)
SNOW AND ICE MASSES USING REMOTE SENSING IMAGERY
Jefferson Cardia Simóes
Ulisses Franz Bremer
Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS
Lab. de Pesquisas Antárticas e Glaciológicas
Depto. de Geografia
Av. Bento Gongalves, 9500
91501-970 - Porto Alegre - RS, Brazil
ISPRS Commission VII / Working Group 8
ABSTRACT
The Island of King George (South Shetlands, Antarctica) is on of the regions of the world most sensitive
to climatic variations. Its snow an ice masses may respond rapidly to atmospheric temperature changes.
Monitoring of glaciers and ice caps of the area is, therefore, relevant to assess the impact of
environmental changes on their extension and volume. It was possible through the examination of aerial
photographs, LANDSAT MSS, SPOT, and ERS 1 SAR imagery spaced in a period of 32 years, to detect
variations in the main ice cap of King George Island. comparison with aerial photographs taken in
1956/57 shows that ice fronts from some fast flowing outlet glacicrs had retreat in average 800 to 1000
meters until 1993. General retreat, albeit in a minor scale, of other glaciers are also observed. The use of
satellite imagery allowed the production of a glacio-morphological map where ice limits, divides,
transient snow line, flow line and crevasse areas are identified. Finally satellite images are being used to
monitor environmental changes in a Antarctica Special Managing Area (ASMA) recently established for
Admiralty Bay area (King George Island).
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