|
Detailed Reference Information |
van der Veen, C.J. (2007). Fracture propagation as means of rapidly transferring surface meltwater to the base of glaciers. Geophysical Research Letters 34: doi: 10.1029/2006GL028385. issn: 0094-8276. |
|
Propagation of water-filled crevasses through glaciers is investigated based on the linear elastic fracture mechanics approach. A crevasse will penetrate to the depth where the stress intensity factor at the crevasse tip equals the fracture toughness of glacier ice. A crevasse subjected to inflow of water will continue to propagate downward with the propagation speed controlled primarily by the rate of water injection. While the far-field tensile stress and fracture toughness determine where crevasses can form, once initiated, the rate of water-driven crevasse propagation is nearly independent of these two parameters. Thus, rapid transfer of surface meltwater to the bed of a cold glacier requires abundant ponding at the surface to initiate and sustain full thickness fracturing before refreezing occurs. |
|
|
|
BACKGROUND DATA FILES |
|
|
Abstract |
|
|
|
|
|
Keywords
Cryosphere, Ice sheets, Cryosphere, Dynamics, Cryosphere, Glaciology (1621, 1827, 1863), Cryosphere, General or miscellaneous |
|
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 |
|
|
|