Byrd Polar Research Center
Encyclopedia
Byrd Polar Research Center, sometimes abbreviated BPRC, is a polar and alpine research center at Ohio State University
.
was established in 1960 as the Institute for Polar Studies. The name was changed to Byrd Polar Research Center in 1987. Research foci were originally included geology
, glaciology
, and biology
. Studies at the BPRC now include paleoclimatology
, remote sensing
, polar meteorology
, glacier dynamics, and environmental geochemistry
. BPRC scientists study high elevation and high latitude regions.
BPRC houses the National Polar Rock Repository.
BPRC archives include the works of Hubert Wilkins, A.H. Waite, and Frederick Cook
.
spanning historic and pre-instrumental periods.
1990s Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson obtained ice cores from multiple locations, including GITS. Dr. Ken Jezek conducted radar studies in Greenland's accumulation and ablation zone. In 1995, Ken Jezek was at Swiss Camp.
2005 Jason Box assists Konrad Steffen in automatic weather station maintenance at Swiss Camp and sites that comprise the Greenland Climate Network. Jason Box returns to Greenland to: 1.) obtains an ice core from a position in southeast Greenland where the Polar MM5 model simulates a maximum in snow accumulation, 2.) installs time lapse cameras pointed at two outlet glaciers, and 3.) conducts supra-glacial melt lake measurements.
2007 In June, 2007, Jason Box establishes time lapse cameras beside 5 major west Greenland outlet glaciers. In July-September, Jason Box prepares for and occupies a camp near the Arctic Circle for 7 weeks during which time he conducts surface energy budget (melt) and supra-glacial melt lake measurements.
2008 During a 3 week field campaign, Jason Box, Ian Howat, Slawek Tulaczyk, and Yushin Ahn conduct measurements of Store Glacier, west Greenland. Dr. Ian Howat installed GPS sensors on Store Glacier in west Greenland.
2009 Jason Box installed time lapse cameras at Petermann Glacier
in anticipation of a large area loss that eventually did occur August, 2010.
2010 April-May, 2010, Jason Box co-led a 750 km Arctic Circle Traverse across the southern Greenland ice sheet to obtain 3 ice cores and snow radar data to study spatial and temporal patterns of snowfall rates.
The Transantarctic Mountains
bisect the continental ice sheets, with different ice flow dynamics on either side. Radarsat
(radar images collected by orbiting satellites) is being used to map the ice sheets. Ice sheet flow into the ocean is increasing and in western Antarctica, the ice stream is draining into the Ross Ice Shelf
with marked acceleration.
In March 2000, the largest observed iceberg in history broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf.
is in retreat. The terminus of the glacier has shown reduction since 1963, with dramatic increases since 1980.
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
.
History
The Byrd Polar center at Ohio State UniversityOhio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
was established in 1960 as the Institute for Polar Studies. The name was changed to Byrd Polar Research Center in 1987. Research foci were originally included geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
, glaciology
Glaciology
Glaciology Glaciology Glaciology (from Middle French dialect (Franco-Provençal): glace, "ice"; or Latin: glacies, "frost, ice"; and Greek: λόγος, logos, "speech" lit...
, and biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
. Studies at the BPRC now include paleoclimatology
Paleoclimatology
Paleoclimatology is the study of changes in climate taken on the scale of the entire history of Earth. It uses a variety of proxy methods from the Earth and life sciences to obtain data previously preserved within rocks, sediments, ice sheets, tree rings, corals, shells and microfossils; it then...
, remote sensing
Remote sensing
Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with the object. In modern usage, the term generally refers to the use of aerial sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth by means of propagated signals Remote sensing...
, polar meteorology
Polar meteorology
Polar meteorology focuses on weather in environments dominated by extremely low temperatures. Surface temperature inversion are typical of polar environments and lead to the katabatic wind phenomenon. The vertical temperature structure of polar environments tends to be more complex than in mid...
, glacier dynamics, and environmental geochemistry
Geochemistry
The field of geochemistry involves study of the chemical composition of the Earth and other planets, chemical processes and reactions that govern the composition of rocks, water, and soils, and the cycles of matter and energy that transport the Earth's chemical components in time and space, and...
. BPRC scientists study high elevation and high latitude regions.
BPRC houses the National Polar Rock Repository.
BPRC archives include the works of Hubert Wilkins, A.H. Waite, and Frederick Cook
Frederick Cook
Frederick Albert Cook was an American explorer and physician, noted for his claim of having reached the North Pole on April 21, 1908. This would have been a year before April 6, 1909, the date claimed by Robert Peary....
.
Research at Byrd Polar Research Center
Ice cores obtained by BPRC scientists have been used to study temperature, chemical composition, snowfall, dust, vegetation, volcanic activity, and anthropogenic emissionsAir pollution
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere....
spanning historic and pre-instrumental periods.
Greenland Field Studies
1980s photogrammetrist Henry Brecher conducted aerial photographic surveys of major Greenland's glaciers.1990s Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson obtained ice cores from multiple locations, including GITS. Dr. Ken Jezek conducted radar studies in Greenland's accumulation and ablation zone. In 1995, Ken Jezek was at Swiss Camp.
2005 Jason Box assists Konrad Steffen in automatic weather station maintenance at Swiss Camp and sites that comprise the Greenland Climate Network. Jason Box returns to Greenland to: 1.) obtains an ice core from a position in southeast Greenland where the Polar MM5 model simulates a maximum in snow accumulation, 2.) installs time lapse cameras pointed at two outlet glaciers, and 3.) conducts supra-glacial melt lake measurements.
2007 In June, 2007, Jason Box establishes time lapse cameras beside 5 major west Greenland outlet glaciers. In July-September, Jason Box prepares for and occupies a camp near the Arctic Circle for 7 weeks during which time he conducts surface energy budget (melt) and supra-glacial melt lake measurements.
2008 During a 3 week field campaign, Jason Box, Ian Howat, Slawek Tulaczyk, and Yushin Ahn conduct measurements of Store Glacier, west Greenland. Dr. Ian Howat installed GPS sensors on Store Glacier in west Greenland.
2009 Jason Box installed time lapse cameras at Petermann Glacier
Petermann glacier
Petermann Glacier is a large glacier located in North-West Greenland to the east of Nares Strait. It connects the Greenland ice sheet to the Arctic Ocean near 81 degrees north latitude. The tidewater glacier consists of a long and wide floating ice tongue whose thickness changes from about at...
in anticipation of a large area loss that eventually did occur August, 2010.
2010 April-May, 2010, Jason Box co-led a 750 km Arctic Circle Traverse across the southern Greenland ice sheet to obtain 3 ice cores and snow radar data to study spatial and temporal patterns of snowfall rates.
Antarctica
BPRC scientists have obtained ice cores from multiple locations on the Antarctic Ice Sheet.The Transantarctic Mountains
Transantarctic Mountains
The three largest mountain ranges on the Antarctic continent are the Transantarctic Mountains , the West Antarctica Ranges, and the East Antarctica Ranges. The Transantarctic Mountains compose a mountain range in Antarctica which extend, with some interruptions, across the continent from Cape Adare...
bisect the continental ice sheets, with different ice flow dynamics on either side. Radarsat
RADARSAT
The RADARSAT constellation is a pair of Canadian Remote Sensing satellites. The constellation consists of:* RADARSAT-1, launched 1995* RADARSAT-2, launched 2007-The Company:...
(radar images collected by orbiting satellites) is being used to map the ice sheets. Ice sheet flow into the ocean is increasing and in western Antarctica, the ice stream is draining into the Ross Ice Shelf
Ross Ice Shelf
The Ross Ice Shelf is the largest ice shelf of Antarctica . It is several hundred metres thick. The nearly vertical ice front to the open sea is more than 600 km long, and between 15 and 50 metres high above the water surface...
with marked acceleration.
In March 2000, the largest observed iceberg in history broke away from the Ross Ice Shelf.
Peru
The Qori Kalis glacier in PeruPeru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
is in retreat. The terminus of the glacier has shown reduction since 1963, with dramatic increases since 1980.
Africa
Dr. Lonnie Thompson has led research expeditions to the glaciers atop mount Kilimanjaro. At the present rate of Kilimanjaro glacier decline, it is predicted that the snow cover will be completely gone by 2020.Sources
- The original version of this article was compiled from notes from a public lecture given at Miami UniversityMiami UniversityMiami University is a coeducational public research university located in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the 10th oldest public university in the United States and the second oldest university in Ohio, founded four years after Ohio University. In its 2012 edition, U.S...
by Dr. Berry Lyons on October 23, 2004.
External links
- Study Reveals Complex Changes In West Antarctic Ice Streams
- Glaciers Melting Worldwide, Study Finds from National Geographic
- Byrd Polar Research Center, a series of articles about the research center from The Antarctic Sun