By means of modern geodetic observation techniques the ice movement along an east-west and a north-south profile across the Ross Ice Shelf, Antarctica, was measured during the two Antarctic summers, ...1962–63 and 1965–66. 103 markers were placed on the 910 km long traverse. Distances were measured by tellurometer, and traverse angles by a precision theodolite between all consecutive markers, normally 8 to 9 km apart. For this type of observation method, six men distributed into three groups of two men each were necessary. The main part of the paper deals with data processing and with the computation of the ice movement. As the ice moves, the geometrical configuration of the traverse changes during the epoch of observation. For this “reduction to epoch” problem two methods are described in detail: (1) time reduction of observations, and (2) time reduction of positions. Between the two field journeys, only linear ice movement can be assumed. It is possible, however, to determine acceleration and curvature of the ice flow at all traverse points where the traverse angles differ considerably from 180°. The result of all computations is the field of velocity vectors along the traverse. Obvious characteristics are the rapid increase of velocity between the McMurdo Ice Shelf and Ross Ice Shelf, the uniform and nearly parallel movement in the middle of the ice shelf (maximum velocity 935 m year−1), the decrease of velocity along the north-south profile, and the systematic increase of divergence of the flow lines towards the ice margins. Careful study of the velocity vector field shows some deviations from an entirely uniform distribution.
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