Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves
Abstract Using expressions for ice-shelf creep derived by Weertman (1957) and Thomas (1973[b]) a general method is developed for calculating equilibrium thickness profiles, velocities, and strain-rates for any ice shelf. This is done first for an unconfined glacier tongue and the result agrees well...
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Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1979
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014453 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000014453 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000014453 2024-03-03T08:36:57+00:00 Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves Sanderson, T. J. O. 1979 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014453 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000014453 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 22, issue 88, page 435-460 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1979 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014453 2024-02-08T08:36:10Z Abstract Using expressions for ice-shelf creep derived by Weertman (1957) and Thomas (1973[b]) a general method is developed for calculating equilibrium thickness profiles, velocities, and strain-rates for any ice shelf. This is done first for an unconfined glacier tongue and the result agrees well with data for Erebus Glacier tongue (Holdsworth, 1974). Anomalies occur within the first 3 km after the hinge zone and these are too great to be the result of local bottom freezing; they are probably due to disturbance of the velocity field. Secondly, profiles are calculated for bay ice shelves. Thickness gradients are largely independent of melt-rate or flow parameters but are inversely proportional to the width of the bay. Data from Antarctic ice shelves agree with this result both qualitatively and quantitatively. The theory is readily extended to ice shelves in diverging and converging bays. An ice shelf in a diverging bay can only remain intact if it is thick enough and slow enough to creep sufficiently rapidly in the transverse direction. If it cannot, it will develop major rifts or will come adrift from the bay walls. It is then likely to break up. The presence of ice rises or areas of grounding towards the seaward margin can radically alter the size of the ice shelf which can form. The theory could be used as a starting point to study non-equilibrium behaviour. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Erebus Glacier Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Antarctic Weertman ENVELOPE(-67.753,-67.753,-66.972,-66.972) Holdsworth ENVELOPE(166.583,166.583,-72.133,-72.133) Erebus Glacier ENVELOPE(167.000,167.000,-77.683,-77.683) Erebus Glacier Tongue ENVELOPE(166.667,166.667,-77.700,-77.700) Journal of Glaciology 22 88 435 460 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Sanderson, T. J. O. Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Using expressions for ice-shelf creep derived by Weertman (1957) and Thomas (1973[b]) a general method is developed for calculating equilibrium thickness profiles, velocities, and strain-rates for any ice shelf. This is done first for an unconfined glacier tongue and the result agrees well with data for Erebus Glacier tongue (Holdsworth, 1974). Anomalies occur within the first 3 km after the hinge zone and these are too great to be the result of local bottom freezing; they are probably due to disturbance of the velocity field. Secondly, profiles are calculated for bay ice shelves. Thickness gradients are largely independent of melt-rate or flow parameters but are inversely proportional to the width of the bay. Data from Antarctic ice shelves agree with this result both qualitatively and quantitatively. The theory is readily extended to ice shelves in diverging and converging bays. An ice shelf in a diverging bay can only remain intact if it is thick enough and slow enough to creep sufficiently rapidly in the transverse direction. If it cannot, it will develop major rifts or will come adrift from the bay walls. It is then likely to break up. The presence of ice rises or areas of grounding towards the seaward margin can radically alter the size of the ice shelf which can form. The theory could be used as a starting point to study non-equilibrium behaviour. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sanderson, T. J. O. |
author_facet |
Sanderson, T. J. O. |
author_sort |
Sanderson, T. J. O. |
title |
Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
title_short |
Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
title_full |
Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
title_fullStr |
Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
title_full_unstemmed |
Equilibrium Profile of Ice Shelves |
title_sort |
equilibrium profile of ice shelves |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1979 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014453 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000014453 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-67.753,-67.753,-66.972,-66.972) ENVELOPE(166.583,166.583,-72.133,-72.133) ENVELOPE(167.000,167.000,-77.683,-77.683) ENVELOPE(166.667,166.667,-77.700,-77.700) |
geographic |
Antarctic Weertman Holdsworth Erebus Glacier Erebus Glacier Tongue |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Weertman Holdsworth Erebus Glacier Erebus Glacier Tongue |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Erebus Glacier Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Erebus Glacier Ice Shelf Ice Shelves Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 22, issue 88, page 435-460 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000014453 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
22 |
container_issue |
88 |
container_start_page |
435 |
op_container_end_page |
460 |
_version_ |
1792496588183044096 |