METHODS AND INSTRUMENTS

GNSS stations measure the three-dimensional motion of selected points on the glacier surface. These observations provide high-precision time series for analysing ice-flow velocity, temporal variations and the response of the glacier to tidal forcing. Reoccupying areas measured in previous GPS campaigns also supports comparison between present-day motion and historical observations.

Broadband seismic stations record signals generated within and around the glacier system. These data contribute to the study of local seismicity and processes related to the interaction between ice flow and bedrock.

Synthetic Aperture Radar imagery provides spatial information over larger sectors of the David–Drygalski system. SAR analysis extends point-based field measurements to a broader view of glacier motion, spatial variability and longer-term changes in surface velocity.

The project combines GNSS, seismic and SAR observations with environmental information such as sea tide, weather and oceanographic data. This integrated approach supports the interpretation of the glacier as a connected ice–bedrock–ocean–atmosphere system.

Antarctic glacier monitoring requires separating what is measured from how confidently it can be interpreted. In ICEGIANT, horizontal motion, tidal response, seismic signals and satellite-derived velocity fields are treated as different scientific products, each with its own uncertainty sources and interpretation limits. This approach helps distinguish robust measurements from processes that require longer observations or additional evidence.