(Table 1) Ice thickness of new subglacial lakes identified in the ICECAP RES data and of previously known subglacial lakes

Subglacial hydrology in East Antarctica is poorly understood, yet may be critical to the manner in which ice flows. Data from a new regional airborne geophysical survey (ICECAP) have transformed our understanding of the topography and glaciology associated with the 287,000 km**2 Aurora Subglacial Basin in East Antarctica. Using these data, in conjunction with numerical ice sheet modeling, we present a suite of analyses that demonstrate the potential of the 1000 km-long basin as a route for subglacial water drainage from the ice sheet interior to the ice sheet margin. We present results from our analysis of basal topography, bed roughness and radar power reflectance and from our modeling of ice sheet flow and basal ice temperatures. Although no clear-cut subglacial lakes are found within the Aurora Basin itself, dozens of lake-like reflectors are observed that, in conjunction with other results reported here, support the hypothesis that the basin acts as a pathway allowing discharge from subglacial lakes near the Dome C ice divide to reach the coast via the Totten Glacier.

Regional vegetation changes in the tropical Andes expressed as arboreal pollen (AP%), standardised ordination scores (DCA z-scores), and aquatic vegetation ratios (D/SS); files used for plots

We compare eight pollen records reflecting climatic and environmental change from the tropical Andes. Our analysis focuses on the last 50 ka, with particular emphasis on the Pleistocene to Holocene transition. We explore ecological grouping and downcore ordination results as two approaches for extracting environmental variability from pollen records. We also use the records of aquatic and shoreline vegetation as markers for lake level fluctuations, and precipitation change. Our analysis focuses on the signature of millennial-scale variability in the tropical Andes, in particular, Heinrich stadials and Greenland interstadials. We identify rapid responses of the tropical vegetation to this climate variability, and relate differences between sites to moisture sources and site sensitivity.