Accumulation on the Devon Island Ice Cap, Northwest Territories, Canada

The pattern of accumulation on the Devon Island ice cap is described. There is an area of minimum accumulation encircling the highest part of the ice cap and 100–200 m. below it. Below this zone, accumulation gradually increases to a maximum near the ice-cap edge. The overall pattern is related to s...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Glaciology
Main Author: Koerner, R. M.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 1966
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000019493
https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000019493
Description
Summary:The pattern of accumulation on the Devon Island ice cap is described. There is an area of minimum accumulation encircling the highest part of the ice cap and 100–200 m. below it. Below this zone, accumulation gradually increases to a maximum near the ice-cap edge. The overall pattern is related to snow transport by katabatic winds. There is a regional accumulation pattern of high accumulation (ca. 40.0 cm. water equivalent) in the south-east part of the ice cap and an area of low accumulation (ca. 11 0 cm. water equivalent) in the north-west. This east-south-east to west-north-west accumulation gradient is related to cyclonic activity to the east in Baffin Bay, and it is probably intensified by the presence of open water in the same area.