The interactions between a polar glacier tongue (Mackay Glacier Tongue and Blue Glacier), sediment and sea water at the grounding line using an ROV

The Mackay Glacier Tongue and Blue Glacier was explored with a submersible remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to determine whether sediment was being shielded by freezing or melting out onto the sea floor in the area of the grounding line. The ROV was equipped with colour and low light black and white video cameras, CTD probes, an electromagnetic current meter, an optical back scatter sensor, still stereo photography and a 5 bucket mini dredge to sample the sea floor. A total of 10 dives were made at the Mackay Glacier Tongue and 2 dives at the Blue Glacier. Tha character and thickness of the basal debris layer in the glacier was determined and ROV measurements and observations were used to evaluate grounding line processes including debris meltout, sediment deformation, meltwater production and grounding line stability.