How can low-pressure channels and deforming tills coexist subglacially?

Abstract Deforming till and low-pressure water channels are observed to coexist subglacially, but till also is observed to creep rapidly into low-pressure subglacial regions. A simple model shows that these observations are not contradictory. Creep of a thin till to a low-pressure region can occur f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Glaciology
Main Author: Alley, Richard B.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1992
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000009734
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000009734
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Summary:Abstract Deforming till and low-pressure water channels are observed to coexist subglacially, but till also is observed to creep rapidly into low-pressure subglacial regions. A simple model shows that these observations are not contradictory. Creep of a thin till to a low-pressure region can occur from a narrow zone only, and will lead to isolation of channels from till farther away.