kanamori_2005.htm
Bulletin of Glaciological Research 22 (2005)
89-97
©Japanese Society of Snow and Ice
Snow pit studies and radio-echo soundings
on Mt. McKinley 2004
Syosaku KANAMORI1, Yoshitomi OKURA2, Takayuki SHIRAIWA1 and Kenji YOSHIKAWA3
1 Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido
University, Kita 19 Nishi 8, Kita-ku, Sapporo
060-0819 Japan
2 O2 Co., LTD., 4-5-4-3F Iidabashi, Chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 102-0072 Japan
3 Water and Environmental Research Center,
University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box
755860 Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-5860
U.S.A.
Abstract
In June 2004, we made snow pit studies and radio-echo soundings to seek ice core drilling sites on Mt McKinley (63。N, 151。W, 6194m a. s. l), Alaska. Pit studies at Denali Pass (5560m a. s. l.) and Medical Camp (4350 m a. s. l.) show high-density layers near surface. These layers seem to relate with strong wind. From the comparison of the observed temperatures at the pits and temperatures at other ice coring sites in Alaska and Yukon, we suppose that no significant melting occurs at observed sites. Radio-echo soundings show that the ice thicknesses at High Camp (5220 m a. s. 1.) and Denali Pass are 46-48 m and 60-67 m, respectively. Although we have a little information about accumulation rates, the thicknesses are too thin to drill the ice cores which can provide the climate record for more than hundreds years. We suggest that the eastward of Denali Pass and the Summit Plateau of the North Peak (5690 m a. s. 1.) may have thicker ice.
