A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics
Abstract Quantitative investigations have been made of ice-cored dirt cones on Bersaerkerbræ in north-east Greenland. Experiments were also undertaken to evaluate field observations. Measurements included: maximum cone dimensions, sediment thickness and particle size, cone growth rates, slope angles...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
1972
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022383 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000022383 |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s0022143000022383 2024-03-03T08:44:00+00:00 A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics Drewry, David J. 1972 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022383 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000022383 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) Journal of Glaciology volume 11, issue 63, page 431-446 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 Earth-Surface Processes journal-article 1972 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022383 2024-02-08T08:36:10Z Abstract Quantitative investigations have been made of ice-cored dirt cones on Bersaerkerbræ in north-east Greenland. Experiments were also undertaken to evaluate field observations. Measurements included: maximum cone dimensions, sediment thickness and particle size, cone growth rates, slope angles and the temperature distribution within the debris layer and ice core. Particle size, which has not been stressed in previous studies, and related liquid consistency limits, appear as the dominant controls in cone formation, independent of debris thickness within the observed range of 10 mm to 125 mm. A threshold grain-size for dirt-cone inception was found, between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm. The growth of cones was usually not more than 50% of the ablation over “clean” ice. Temperature measurements within dirt cones has enabled heat-flow studies to be made, evaluating the thermal conductivity of a sediment layer and the heat transfer involved in melting the ice core. A simple model of dirt-cone dynamics is proposed, characterized by negative feedbacks and describing a steady-state system. Article in Journal/Newspaper East Greenland Greenland ice core Journal of Glaciology Cambridge University Press Greenland Journal of Glaciology 11 63 431 446 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth-Surface Processes |
spellingShingle |
Earth-Surface Processes Drewry, David J. A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
topic_facet |
Earth-Surface Processes |
description |
Abstract Quantitative investigations have been made of ice-cored dirt cones on Bersaerkerbræ in north-east Greenland. Experiments were also undertaken to evaluate field observations. Measurements included: maximum cone dimensions, sediment thickness and particle size, cone growth rates, slope angles and the temperature distribution within the debris layer and ice core. Particle size, which has not been stressed in previous studies, and related liquid consistency limits, appear as the dominant controls in cone formation, independent of debris thickness within the observed range of 10 mm to 125 mm. A threshold grain-size for dirt-cone inception was found, between 0.2 mm and 0.6 mm. The growth of cones was usually not more than 50% of the ablation over “clean” ice. Temperature measurements within dirt cones has enabled heat-flow studies to be made, evaluating the thermal conductivity of a sediment layer and the heat transfer involved in melting the ice core. A simple model of dirt-cone dynamics is proposed, characterized by negative feedbacks and describing a steady-state system. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Drewry, David J. |
author_facet |
Drewry, David J. |
author_sort |
Drewry, David J. |
title |
A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
title_short |
A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
title_full |
A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
title_fullStr |
A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
title_full_unstemmed |
A Quantitative Assessment of Dirt-Cone Dynamics |
title_sort |
quantitative assessment of dirt-cone dynamics |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
1972 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022383 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0022143000022383 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
East Greenland Greenland ice core Journal of Glaciology |
genre_facet |
East Greenland Greenland ice core Journal of Glaciology |
op_source |
Journal of Glaciology volume 11, issue 63, page 431-446 ISSN 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0022143000022383 |
container_title |
Journal of Glaciology |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
63 |
container_start_page |
431 |
op_container_end_page |
446 |
_version_ |
1792499474241683456 |