Interpreting the history of Blood Falls and the terminus of Taylor
Glacier, Antarctica through photographs and field observations
Abstract
Taylor Glacier, located in the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica has
piqued curiosity since the first observations in 1903. Episodic release
of iron-rich brine at or near the glacier terminus rapidly oxidizes,
forming a visually striking red stain on the ice and glacier forefield
called ‘Blood Falls’. The triggering mechanism behind these releases is
unknown. The recent history of brine releases have been well documented
since the 1993-94 summer season. To better understand the frequency and
extent of brine releases over a longer time period we compile a detailed
history of observations of the Taylor terminus from photographs,
journals, field reports, oral histories, and published papers prior to
the onset of more frequent monitoring in the 1990s. We developed a
confidence assessment framework for our interpretation of the
presence/absence of brine icing deposits. Results show that of the 30
summer seasons between 1903-1904 and 1993-1994 with interpretable
observations, 21 seasons (70%) show evidence of brine flow events, and
9 seasons show no evidence of brine flow. At least two of these brine
flow events are newly reported by our study. Concurrent observations of
the glacier terminus over the same period showed a localized advance and
collapse of a small portion of the southern terminus. We demonstrate a
framework to fuse multiple data types and qualitatively assess the
confidence level of our interpretations that could be applied to similar
investigations of environmental history. We encourage other researchers
to explore and contribute to the growing collection of open access
historical archives.