The new traverse route from Atka Bay to SANAE IV

The feasibility of a new traverse route between two Antarctic research stations, the South African base SANAE IV (71°40' S, 2°51' W, 860 m a.s.l.) and the German base Neumayer (70°39'S, 08°15'W), is investigated. The planning of the new traverse is based on the analysis of satellite data and a local survey. SAR data of the European remote sensing satellites ERS-1 and -2 are used for an interferometric analysis of the ice motion in order to detect critical zones of crevasse formation. Out of three proposed routes two were selected for a local survey, which was conducted in the summer season 2003/2004 from air by helicopter and, for the final route, by a field party. Field observations confirmed good travelling conditions on the 280 km long route, which connects the two research stations mostly on grounded ice.