Subglacial Lake Ellsworth seismic reflection profiles, raw seismic and GPS survey data, 2007/2008

Five seismic reflection profiles (Lake A to E) were acquired across Subglacial Lake Ellsworth (SLE), Antarctica, during the 2007-08 austral summer. SLE is a freshwater lake that lies under ice that is ~3.2 km thick. SLE is approximately 15 km long and 3 km wide. The data were acquired to determine the overlying ice thickness, the water depth in the lake, and the lake-bed material. The seismic lines were aligned perpendicular to the lake's long axis and spaced roughly 1.4 km apart, over what appears to be the deeper part of the lake. Seismic shot-point locations were determined using RTK GPS methods. Seismic sources were Pentolite explosives in 30 m deep holes made with a hot-water drill and backfilled with snow. The fieldwork was a collaboration between the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Northumbria University and the University of Edinburgh.

Funding was provided by NERC AFI awards NE/D009200/1, NE/D008638/1 and NE/D008751/1. Equipment support by NERC Geophysical Equipment Facility loan numbers 838 and 870.