Dataset: McMurdo Sound sea ice thickness

Actual sampling location varied slightly between years and may be obtainable from support contractor records.  Approximate location of sampling was McMurdo Station, Antarctica (77°51′14″S, 166°28′07″E). The number of measurements varied between different years from 1 to 20.   All data were collected within an area of approximately 0.28 km2, at a standard suite of 16 stations along a 3000 m distance, and five stations across an orthogonal 1000 m distance.

At each station, small holes were drilled through the ice and the thickness measured using a meter tape with a lever-arm that held the zero-point against the bottom of the fast ice. Thickness was measured for solid ice and did not include underlying brash ice or frazil ice, nor overlying snow.

Notes:

1999 began collection of additional data on time of day and snow depth
2003 began collection of additional data from shipping channel sites
2006 stopped collection of shipping channel site data, began collection of additional data on ice temperature profiles
2010 did not collect ice temperature profile data.

For access to additional data that are available but not transcribed into this data set; please contact authors to obtain access.