Glacier Surge Mechanism: 1982-1983 Surge of Variegated Glacier, Alaska

• Published in: Science
• Main Authors: Kamb, Barclay, Raymond, C. F., Harrison, W. D., Engelhardt, Hermann, Echelmeyer, K. A., Humphrey, N., Brugman, M. M., Pfeffer, T.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 1985
• Subjects: glacier; Alaska
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.227.4686.469; https://www.science.org/doi/pdf/10.1126/science.227.4686.469

The hundredfold speedup in glacier motion in a surge of the kind that took place in Variegated Glacier in 1982-1983 is caused by the buildup of high water pressure in the basal passageway system, which is made possible by a fundamental and pervasive change in the geometry and water-transport characteristics of this system. The behavior of the glacier in surge has many remarkable features, which can provide clues to a detailed theory of the surging process. The surge mechanism is akin to a proposed mechanism of overthrust faulting.