Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.2
Climate data for selected stations in ice-free subregions of Antarctica
Mean
temp.
Dec.,
Jan. (°C)
Sub-
region
Elev.
(m)
MAAT
(°C)
MAP
(mm)
Station
Latitude (S)
Longitude
1
Neumayer
70.683°
8.266W
40
−17.0
−4.7
~400
Sanae
71.687°
2.842°W
805
−17.1
−4.7
~100
2
Syowa
69.000°
39.583°E
15
−10.5
−1.0
Molodezhnaya
66.275°
100.160°E
42
−11.0
−1.0
250
Mawson
67.000°
62.883°E
8
−11.2
−0.1
~200
3
Davis
68.583°
77.967°E
12
−10.3
−0.3
~200
Mawson
67.600°
62.867°E
10
−11.2
0.0
Zhong Shan
69.367°
76.367°
15
−9.2
0.8
~200
Grove Mtns.
73.25°
74.55°E
2,160
−18.5
4
Casey
66.279°
110.536°E
12
−9.2
−0.4
223
Mirny
66.55°
93.01°E
30
−11.4
−2.0
379
5a
Halley Bay
75.500°
26.650°W
42
−18.7
−5.3
~150
5b
Lake Bonney
77.733°
162.166°W
150
−17.9
nd
<100
McMurdo
77.880°
166.730°E
24
−17.4
−3.6
202
Lake Vanda
77.517°
161.677°E
85
−19.8
0.8
5
6
Ellsworth
77.700°
41.000°W
42
−22.9
−8.0
~150
Sky-Blu
74.79°
71.48°W
1,510
−19.8
nd
nd
8
Signy Island
60.700°
45.593°W
90
−3.4
0.9
400
Orcadas
60.750°
44.717°W
12
−2.8
−0.1
486
King George I.
62.233°
58.667°W
12
−2.0
1.1
635
Livingston I.
62.650°
60.350°W
35
−1.7
nd
800
Esperanza
63.4°
56.98°W
13
−5.0
423
Palmer
64.767°
64.005°W
8
−2.4
2.0
679
Rothera
67.567°
68.013°W
33
−3.4
0.8
768
Fossil Bluff
71.333°
68.283°W
55
−8.6
nd
nd
Marambio
64.234°
56.625°W
5
−8.9
−1.7
250
Source: Schwerdtfeger (
1984
); various station climate summaries
tip to at least 67°S (Table
9.3
). Permafrost temperatures range from −2.6 to −10 °C
in areas on the southern WAP to Alexander Island, in the Weddell Sea islands, and
in coastal East Antarctica (regions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7). Permafrost temperatures range
from −13 to −23 °C in the Thiel Mountains and Pensacola Mountains (region 5a),
Transantarctic Mountains (TAM; region 5b), the Queen Maud Land mountains
(region 1), and possibly in the southern Prince Charles Mountains and Grove
Mountains (region 3). Dry permafrost occurs primarily in these mountains, espe-
cially those in central and southern Victoria Land.
Active-layer (seasonal thaw layer) depths are dependent on the regional climate.
In the South Orkney and South Shetland Islands, the active-layer depth commonly
ranges between 1.0 and 2.0 m (Table
9.3
). The active-layer depth in East Antarctica
