Tides on a Large Ice Shelf, the Ross Ice Shelf (RIS)

This graphic shows 25 hours of tides at the RIS. Dark gray is grounded ice including Roosevelt Island and Crary Ice Rise. Light gray is ice shelf. Blue is open water, although much of the time this area is covered by sea ice. The ticking counter on the upper left is time in hours since the start. The total tidal range (low-to-high tide) is about 3 m on the eastern side (upper left in the graphic) of the ice shelf (Shirase and Siple Coasts). Tides are weaker on the western side. McMurdo Station on Ross Island is at the western end of the ice front. The scale of the tidal motion is greatly exaggerated relative to the topography, and the scale of the ice shelves is expanded relative to the grounded ice.