Decadal migration of Dome C inferred by global navigation satellite system measurements

Abstract Understanding the behaviour of domes under both contemporary and historical environmental conditions is essential to facilitate the study of dome-divide dynamics and the interpretation of ice core records. This paper presents nearly 20 years of Global Navigation Satellite System observations at Dome C in East Antarctica, focusing on ice velocity and accumulation rates. The 38 measuring poles established in 1996 for the EPICA Dome C project were surveyed three times in 18 years. The data analysis indicates alterations in ice velocity patterns, including a horizontal velocity shift across the dome and a dynamic summit migration of about 100 m a −1 . Specifically, increases in velocity on the southeastern slope were counterbalanced by a similar reduction in the northwestern sector. These changes are likely related to variations in accumulation distribution as indicated by snow radar measurements and shifts in the drainage basin of the Byrd Glacier. Furthermore, a 10% alteration in snow accumulation rates at Dome C over the past decade compared with previous centuries was observed, accompanied by an elevation increase of about 3.5 mm a −1 . The recent findings of the Beyond EPICA – Oldest Ice (BE-OI) project highlight the minimal perturbations of the climate signal on the ice core, attributable to glaciological variability at the dome position.