USGS Names Antarctic Feature for NASA Researcher - cont'd

"Interestingly enough, much of what we have learned about this ice stream has been through the application of remote sensing, including optical imagery (LANDSAT, ALI, SPOT and IKONOS), radar imagery and interferometry, and radar altimetry," remarked Bindschadler.

For the past 20 years, Bindschadler's research with the US Antarctic Program has focused on the West Antarctic ice sheet after the scientific community identified the potential of this ice sheet to rapidly raise sea level globally. Glaciologists began studying the flow of fast moving ice streams that drained the ice sheet into the floating Ross Ice Shelf. There are six ice streams, denoted A-F, when first discovered in the early 1970s. For the past ten years, study of the Ross ice streams has proceeded with a multidisciplinary perspective and remote sensing has become an increasingly valuable means to learn about these ice streams and a way to extend this knowledge to other regions in West Antarctica.

The glaciologist was previously honored by the National Science Foundation in 1994 when a small glacier near the Dry Valleys region of East Antarctica was named Bindschadler Glacier. The Bindschadler Glacier is located in the NW part of the Royal Society Range, Victoria Land, flowing North between Table Mountain and Platform Spur to join Emmanuel Glacier.

A Pennsylvania native, he received Bachelor of Science Degrees in 1971 in both physics and astronomy from the University of Michigan, and a doctorate in geophysics from the University of Washington. This was followed by postdoctoral research at Eidgenossiche Technische Hochshule, in Zurich Switzerland. In 1978, Bindschadler joined NASA where he now serves as the acting head of the Oceans and Ice Branch.

Bindschadler has been leading field expeditions to study the ice streams of West Antarctica since 1983. These field trips typically require two months away from home while living in tents in the harsh and remote Antarctic environment. Field transport is provided by a combination of aircraft, snow tractors, skidoos and skis. Bindschadler has effectively combined field studies with observations from a number of satellites to extend and expand our knowledge of the ice streams.

His most recent discovery is the fact that the motion of one of the largest ice streams consists of two sudden and rapid lurches each tidal cycle. A simple model of tidal resistance explains this extraordinary behavior, but this discovery only heightens concern that the massive West Antarctic ice sheet is extremely sensitive to sea level and can respond very quickly.

During his career, he has received numerous awards including a NASA/Goddard Exceptional Achievement Award, an Antarctic Service Medal and many Outstanding Achievement Awards. Honors include becoming a Goddard Senior Fellow in 2000 and an American Geophysical Union Fellow in 2002.

Bindschadler serves on many boards and committees including his role as Chair of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) project for the last decade, a group that has coordinated all of the major research of this remote area. He is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Washington and for the Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Maryland. Throughout his career he has authored more than 140 articles in scientific journals and books.

Bindschadler lives in Laurel, Md, with his wife, Elizabeth and two children. In addition to his work at Goddard, he enjoys jogging and sailing.

For more information on geographic names: http://geonames.usgs.gov
For more information about West Antarctic research:http://igloo.gsfc.nasa.gov/wais