Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

The structure of West Antarctica from geophysical studies

Abstract

The subglacial topographical and geological configurations of West Antarctica and the boundary zone between East and West Antarctica are poorly known, yet they are crucial to our understanding of the tectonic evolution of the Pacific–proto Atlantic margin of Gondwanaland. Preliminary results are presented of simultaneous airborne radio echo and magnetic sounding of 106 km2 of West Antarctica including detailed maps of ice sheet and bedrock surfaces. Magnetics, radio echo and other available geophysical data suggest interpretations of sub-glacial geology.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bentley, C. R. & Ostenso, N. A. Geophys. J. 18, 882–912 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Behrendt, J. C. Geophys. Polar Res. Centre Rep. 64–1 (University of Wisconsin, 1964).

  3. Robinson, E. S. thesis, Univ. Wisconsin (1964).

  4. Bentley, C. R. & Chang, F.-K. Ant. Res. Ser. 16, 1–38 (1971).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Behrendt, J. C. & Wold, R. J. J. geophys. Res. 68, 1145–1153 (1963).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Behrendt, J. C. Science 144, 993–994 (1964).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Behrendt, J. C., Henderson, J. R., Meister, L. & Rambo, W. L. US Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. 884 (1974).

  8. US Naval Oceanogr. Office, Spec. Publ. 66 (1963).

  9. US Naval Oceanogr. Office, Spec. Publ. 66, Suppl. 1 (1965).

  10. Heezen, B. C., Tharp, M. & Bentley, C. R. Am. geogr. Soc. N.Y., Folio 16 (Antarctic Map Folio Series, 1971).

  11. Korotkevich, Ye. S., Koblents, Ya. P. & Kosenko, N. G. Karta Korennogo Rel'yefa Antarktidy, 1:10000000 (Soyuzmorniiproyekt, Arctic and Antarctic Institute, Leningrad, 1977).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Rose, K. E. thesis, Univ. Cambirdge (1978).

  13. Craddock, C. in Antarctic Geoscience (ed. Craddock, C.) (in the press).

  14. Elliot, D. H. Am. J. Sci. 274A, 45–106 (1975).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Skou, N. & Sondergaard, F. TUD, Lab. Electromagn. Theor. Rep. 169 (1976).

  16. Christensen, E. TUD, Lab. Electromagn. Theor. Rep. 93 (1970).

  17. Leliak, P. IRE Trans Aeron. Nav. Electron. September 1961).

  18. Finkel, A. APL/S2R-78-194 (1978).

  19. Hickerson, R. L. APL/S2R-79-145 (1979).

  20. Am. geogr. Soc. N.Y. 1:5000000, Sheet 13, Antarctica (1970).

  21. Ministerstvo Morskogo Flota CCCP Karta Antarcktida (1971).

  22. Levanon, N., Julian, P. R. & Suomi, V. E. Nature 268, 514–516 (1977).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Rose, K. E. J. Glaciol. 24, 63–75 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Swithinbank, C. W. M., Doake, C. S. M. & Crabtree, R. D. Polar Rec. 18, 295–299 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Crabtree, R. D. & Doake, C. S. M. Polar Rec. 20, 31–37 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Drewry, D. J., Meldrum, D. T. & Jankowski, E. Polar Rec. 20, 45–47 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Korotkevich, Ye S., Savtyugin, L. M. & Morev, V. A. Inf. Byull. sov. Antarkt. Eksped. No. 98, 45–52 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Thomas, R. H., Sanderson, T. J. O. & Rose, K. E. Nature 277, 355–358 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Bentley, C. R. & Clough, J. W. in Antarctic Geology and Geophysics (ed. Adie, R. J.) 683–691 (Oslo Universitetsforlaget, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Craddock, C. & Webers, G. F. in Antarctic Geoscience (ed. Craddock, C.) (in the press).

  31. Ford, A. B. US geol. Surv. Bull. 1405–D (1976).

  32. Behrendt, J. C., Drewry, D. J., Jankowski, E. & Grim, M. S. Science 209, 1014–1017 (1980).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Bentley, C. R. Tectonophysics 20, 229–240 (1973).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Schopf, J. M. Science 164, 63–66 (1969).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Stump, E. in Implications of Continental Drift to the Earth Sciences Vol. 2 (eds Tarling, D. H. & Runcorn, S. K.) 909–924 (Academic, London, (1973).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Clarkson, P. D. & Brook, M. Nature 265, 615–616 (1977).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Stuiver, M., Denton, G. H., Hughes, T. & Fastook, J. L. in The Last Great Ice Sheets (eds Denton, G. H. & Hughes, T.) 319–435 (Wiley, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jankowski, E., Drewry, D. The structure of West Antarctica from geophysical studies. Nature 291, 17–21 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1038/291017a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/291017a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing