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Detailed Reference Information |
Motyka, R.J., Truffer, M., Kuriger, E.M. and Bucki, A.K. (2006). Rapid erosion of soft sediments by tidewater glacier advance: Taku Glacier, Alaska, USA. Geophysical Research Letters 33: doi: 10.1029/2006GL028467. issn: 0094-8276. |
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Taku Glacier in southeast Alaska has advanced 7.5 km over the last 115 years, overriding its own glaciomarine and outwash sediments. We have documented rapid erosion of these sediments by comparing radio echo soundings (RES) along five transects (2003--2005) to earlier RES surveys (1989 and 1994) and to early bathymetric surveys of the proglacial fjord. Erosion rates, $dot{E}$, reached 3.9 ¿ 0.8 m a-1 (1989--2003) at a distance, L, of 5.4 km from the 2003 terminus, where ice thickness, H, is 610 m. $dot{E}$ averaged 2.0 ¿ 0.1 m a-1 (1940--2005) at L = 3 km (H = 350 m), and 1.5 ¿ 0.2 m a-1 (1952--2005) at L = 1.5 km (H = 250 m). Detailed mapping over a 4 km2 area of the terminus revealed a deeply incised channel in line with a major outlet stream. Glaciofluvial processes must play the dominant role in the subglacial erosion and removal of these unlithified sediments. |
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Abstract |
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Keywords
Cryosphere, Glaciers, Hydrology, Erosion, Hydrology, Sediment transport |
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Publisher
American Geophysical Union 2000 Florida Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20009-1277 USA 1-202-462-6900 1-202-328-0566 service@agu.org |
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