2D EVOLUTION PATTERN AND 3D RECONSTRUCTION OF TWO LARGE RIFTS IN FILCHNER ICE SHELF FROM SATELLITE IMAGES

Abstract. The floating ice shelves surrounding the Antarctic Ice Sheet is important for the stability of the grounded ice-sheet. Fracturing and calving event of an ice shelf can damage the structural integrity and contributes to an increase in ice discharge to the ocean. In this study, we focus on two large newly-developed traverse rifts in the frontal region of Filchner Ice Shelf which may lead to next major calving in the region. Two-dimensional evolution of the two rifts were investigated in detail using multisource remote sensing data, Two abrupt extensions in 2006 and 2011 were found with a rate of more than 1 km d^-1. Moreover, a stereo pair of ZY-3 images was utilized for the first time to reconstruct the 3D rift model where an average rift depth of 48 m and ice mélange rise of ~10 m were measured.