Absolute gravimetry in Antarctica: Status and prospects

Twenty-three absolute gravity measurements at 12 stations have been performed in the Antarctic up to 2004. We review the measurements, and present a catalogue of gravity values. Four of the sites have repeated occupations. Gravity is sensitive both to elevation change and to changes in density distribution caused by past and present changes in the Antarctic ice mass. Thus, repeated absolute gravity measurements, especially when collocated with observations of vertical displacement from precise positioning systems, can provide information on the time evolution of the Antarctic ice sheet. We compare the observed gravity change with observed vertical motion, and with predictions from various models of the glacial isostatic adjustment and of present glacier mass balance.