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Studies of palaeo-accumulation rates at Dome A, East Antarctica, are entirely absent. Here, spatio-temporal variations in ice accumulation rates for the past ~161 ka are calculated from isochronous internal layering, traced from radio-echo sounding (RES) data collected by the Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) during the 21st CHINARE. The layers are dated by linking them to the site of Vostok ice core along an RES profile, which was flown by the Alfred-Wegener-Institut (AWI) in the Dome Connection East Antarctica (DoCo) project. The Dansgaard-Johnsen model is used to determine the spatial and temporal pattern of ice accumulation in Dome A region. The results show that there is a slight increasing pattern of ice accumulation from south to north along the 216 km radar profile at Dome A. The lowest ice accumulation rates were calculated around the Dome A zone. In the past ~90 ka, there were relatively high accumulation rates during the time period 34–47 ka (Marine Isotope Stage 3) at Dome A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the 24th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 24, 2007/08), a ground-based ice radar was used to survey ice thickness and subglacial topography along the 1170 km traverse between Zhongshan and Dome A in East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS). Ice-bedrock interface was detected along 82% of the traverse and data was collected at a horizontal resolution of <5.6 m. The data was processed to produce curves of ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography along the traverse. The results indicate that, along the traverse, the average ice thickness is 2037 m, smaller than the average ice thickness in EAIS; the thickest ice is at 730 km, and the thinnest ice (891 m) is at the edge of the ice sheet, but the slightly larger ice thickness (1078 m) in inland appears at 1020 km; the average subglacial topography elevation is 728 m, greatly larger than the average value in EAIS, and the largest elevation reaches up to 2650 m at 1034 km. The lowest terrain is located at 765 km. In further inland of 900-1170 km, the subglacial topography is relatively high due to the existence of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in the region. Generally, the influence of subglacial topography on ice surface is not significant, except at 900 km where great rise of subglacial topography causes evident uplift of ice surface. Where ice-bedrock interface was detected, the frequent and strong change of ice thickness and subglacial topography in small-scale means large bedrock roughness along the traverse, and is considered as the result of the integrated influence of ice flow, basal environments and geology. The segment where bedrock was not detected has very large ice thickness. The strong ice flow there also makes internal structure more complicated and induces serious attenuation of radar signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dome A, located in the central East Antarctic ice sheet (EAIS), is the highest summit of the Antarctic ice sheet. From ice-sheet evolution modeling results, Dome A is likely to preserve over one million years of the Earth's paleo-climatic and -environmental records, and considered an ideal deep ice core drilling site. Ice thickness and subglacial topography are critical factors for ice-sheet models to determine the timescale and location of a deep ice core. During the 21st and 24th Chinese National Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE 21, 2004/05; CHINARE 24, 2007/08), ground-based ice radar systems were used to a three-dimensional investigation in the central 30 km×30 km region at Dome A. The successfully obtained high resolution and accuracy data of ice thickness and subglacial topography were then interpolated into the ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography digital elevation model (DEM) with a regular grid resolution of 140.5 m×140.5 m. The results of the ice radar investigation indicate that the average ice thickness in the Dome A central 30 km×30 km region is 2233 m, with a minimal ice thickness of 1618 m and a maximal ice thickness of 3139 m at Kunlun Station. The subglacial topography is relatively sharp, with an elevation range of 949-2445 m. The typical, clear mountain glaciation morphology is likely to reflect the early evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. Based on the ice thickness distribution and subglacial topography characteristics, the location of Kunlun Station was suggested to carry out the first high-resolution, long time-scale deep ice core drilling. However, the internal structure and basal environments at Kunlun Station still need further research to determine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2012/2013 Chinese Antarctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) 's inland traverse from Zhongshan station to Kunlun station on the East Antarctic ice sheet provided an opportunity to reveal englacial freeze-on ice using ice-penetrating radar. A radar dataset along the profile was collected using a new ground-based radar system with a high frequency of 150 MHz. A typical example of a freeze-on ice structure was revealed in the radar images, similar to that found in the Dome A region. The subglacial stratigraphy showed a new freeze-on ice zone with a length of 10 km near the ice-bedrock interface along the traverse, located 1,044-1,056 km from the coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]