The albedo and ice transmissity at a cold based glacier, Wright Lower Glacier, Wright Valley, Antarctica

The albedo of the Wright Lower Glacier was monitored over two seasons (05-06 and 06-07) to help determine the seasonal melt regime of the glacier by using data from a climate station and manual measurements with a pyranometer. The albedo was measured along a cross section below the north facing cliff, in the channels, on the south facing slope, over a cryoconite hole and over wet sand and dry sand. Measurements were made throughout the seasons at approx ten day intervals and were made at hourly intervals over a ten hour period to ascertain diurnal fluctuations. Ice transmissivity was also measured with pyranometers by drilling holes into the cliff face and measuring transmissivity at 10, 20, 30, 40 and 80cm depths. Light was prevented from entering the holes during measurement using black polythene.