Cylindrical Flow in and Over Channels of Irregular Shape

• Published in: Journal of Glaciology
• Main Author: Shoemaker, E. M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1985
• Subjects: Earth-Surface Processes; Journal of Glaciology
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000006432; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000006432

Abstract Earlier work by Nye (1965), who obtained numerical solutions for axial independent flow of a non-linear Glen material in channels of rectangular, elliptic, and parabolic cross-sections with a null-slip basal condition, is extended by using an inverse technique. Exact analytical solutions are obtained for flow in irregular-shaped channels (subject to symmetry restrictions) for both a Newtonian and an n = 3 Glen material. The cross-sections are regulated by multi-parameters. Solutions are obtained for two types of channel: (a) those whose side walls meet the free ice surface vertically, and (b) periodic channel arrays whose basal profiles do not intersect the free ice surface, i.e. overfilled channels. Solutions for the second type have not been presented previously. The solutions for the n = 3 Glen material employ a small parameter which limits the geometry variation to perturbations on semicircular or uniform-depth channels. Basal slip conditions can be incorporated although results are not presented here.