Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A.
Abstract A spectacular surge occurred on Peters Glacier, Alaska, in 1986 and 1987. Several observations on the glacier were made during the course of its surge. These observations are compared with those on other surging glaciers and then interpreted in terms of the ideas on surge mechanisms and dyn...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1987
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000008935 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000008935 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000008935 2024-03-03T08:44:33+00:00 Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. Echelmeyer, Keith Butterfield, Robert Cuillard, Doug 1987 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000008935 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000008935 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 33, issue 115, page 341-345 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1987 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000008935 2024-02-08T08:36:15Z Abstract A spectacular surge occurred on Peters Glacier, Alaska, in 1986 and 1987. Several observations on the glacier were made during the course of its surge. These observations are compared with those on other surging glaciers and then interpreted in terms of the ideas on surge mechanisms and dynamics as originally postulated by Post (unpublished) and further developed during the surge of Variegated Glacier by Kamb and others (1985) and Raymond and Harrison (1986, in press). It is shown that the concepts of rapid basal motion due to high water pressure at the glacier bed and the initiation of a surge during the winter due to a pressurization of the limited supply of basal water are well supported by these observations on the surge of Peters Glacier. An extremely high suspended sediment load rich in very fine material was observed, which also supports ideas on basal processes expected during this type of surge. One interesting (and puzzling) feature of this surge cycle is that the termination of the surge occurred in late winter 1987, when surface melt water was at a minimum. This is in direct contrast to the termination of the surge on Variegated Glacier, which occurred during the period of peak ablation. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Peters Glacier Alaska Cambridge University Press Peters Glacier ENVELOPE(-37.550,-37.550,-54.133,-54.133) Journal of Glaciology 33 115 341 345 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Echelmeyer, Keith Butterfield, Robert Cuillard, Doug Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract A spectacular surge occurred on Peters Glacier, Alaska, in 1986 and 1987. Several observations on the glacier were made during the course of its surge. These observations are compared with those on other surging glaciers and then interpreted in terms of the ideas on surge mechanisms and dynamics as originally postulated by Post (unpublished) and further developed during the surge of Variegated Glacier by Kamb and others (1985) and Raymond and Harrison (1986, in press). It is shown that the concepts of rapid basal motion due to high water pressure at the glacier bed and the initiation of a surge during the winter due to a pressurization of the limited supply of basal water are well supported by these observations on the surge of Peters Glacier. An extremely high suspended sediment load rich in very fine material was observed, which also supports ideas on basal processes expected during this type of surge. One interesting (and puzzling) feature of this surge cycle is that the termination of the surge occurred in late winter 1987, when surface melt water was at a minimum. This is in direct contrast to the termination of the surge on Variegated Glacier, which occurred during the period of peak ablation. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Echelmeyer, Keith Butterfield, Robert Cuillard, Doug |
author_facet |
Echelmeyer, Keith Butterfield, Robert Cuillard, Doug |
author_sort |
Echelmeyer, Keith |
title |
Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
title_short |
Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
title_full |
Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
title_fullStr |
Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Some Observations on a Recent Surge of Peters Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A. |
title_sort |
some observations on a recent surge of peters glacier, alaska, u.s.a. |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1987 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000008935 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000008935 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-37.550,-37.550,-54.133,-54.133) |
geographic |
Peters Glacier |
geographic_facet |
Peters Glacier |
genre |
glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Peters Glacier Alaska |
genre_facet |
glacier glaciers Journal of Glaciology Peters Glacier Alaska |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 33, issue 115, page 341-345 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000008935 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
33 |
container_issue |
115 |
container_start_page |
341 |
op_container_end_page |
345 |
_version_ |
1792500049730600960 |