Indian Journal of Marine Sciences Vol. 37(4), December 2008, pp. 435-438 Some morphometric characteristics of Priyadarshini water body at Schirmacher Oasis, Central Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica with special reference to its bathymetry N. Khare 1 *, S. K. Chaturvedi 2 , R. Saraswat 3 , R. Srivastava 4 , R. Raina 4 & A. Wanganeo 4 1 National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, Headland Sada, Vasco-da-Gama, Goa 403 004, India 2 Department of Disaster Management Shanmugha Arts, Science Technology and Research Academy (SASTRA) Thanajavur 613 402, India 3 Center for Advanced Studies, Department of Geology, University of Delhi, Delhi 110 007 4 Department of Limnology, Barakatullah University, Bhopal 462 026, India *[Email: nkhare45@gmail.com] The bathymetric survey of the Priyadarshini water body has been carried out using hydrobox and global positioning system. Three-dimensional bathymetric map has been prepared for the said water body. The instrumental bathymetric survey, in general matches with the earlier manually generated bathymetric data available for the water body. It provides fine details of the slope and depth at continuous points in Priyadarshini water body. The bathymetric map is discussed with respect to the adjacent catchment region. The detailed digitized bathymetric map will help to select ideal points for collection of sediment cores to unravel the geologic history of the water body. [Key words: Priyadarshini water body, Morphometry, Bathymetric Survey, Global Positioning System, Echo sounding] Introduction Antarctic water bodies are among the major features of the Antarctic landscape. Most of the Antarctic water bodies are of glacial origin, relatively small and date from the Pleistocene epoch of the Quaternary Period. These water bodies receive majority of their sediment supply during warmer austral spring and summer periods when ice melts. The limnological studies of such water bodies can reveal the structural features and geomorphology of the region in which it is situated. It is important to understand the geomorphic aspects of the aquatic water bodies, as its specific nature depends upon the formation type, latitudinal position and the type of water it holds/receives. Additionally, information on morphometry is needed to investigate erosion, nutrient loading rates, chemical mass, heat content, thermal stability, biological productivity and growth. The present study consists of the bathymetric survey of the Priyadarshini water body in Schirmacher Oasis, using modern shallow water echo-sounder, and the morphometric observations thus made in this regime. Study Area The Schirmacher Oasis is a small (~35 km 2 ) ice free area located about 100 km south of Lazarev Sea, near the Princess Astrid Coast, Central Queen Maud Land, East Antarctica at 70°44’-70°47’S, 11°25’- 11°55’E. The Oasis presents a bed rock area in the form of a narrow strip around 17 km long and 3 km wide in the west-northwest to east-southeast direction. Its relief is typically hillocky with the absolute marks up to 228 m. The oasis is interspersed with number of fresh water bodies. The ice cover in a few water bodies typically persists during summer; however, the ice melts in most of the water bodies, during this period. Much of the oasis area is characterized by the absence of continuous ice cover not only in summer but also during winter. Climate in the oasis is predominantly of continental type. Priyadarshini water body (L-49) is situated in the vicinity of the second permanent Indian Station in Antarctica, i.e. Maitri, at 70°45’39.4”S latitude and 11°44’8.6”E longitude, at an elevation of 117 m a.m.s.l. It extends in ENE and WSW direction (Fig. 1). The water body is perennially fed by the melting of the polar ice that stands all along the southern margin of the oasis and drains out into __________ 1 Present address: Ministry of Earth Sciences, Block # 12, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110 003, India