On the formation of large subglacial lakes
The role of subglacial water storage beneath continental ice sheets is investigated, primarily for a deformable bed. Subglacial ponding is shown to occur under most regions of warm-based ice sheets, and large subglacial lakes can become established, for example in the Hudson Bay basin. The formation...
| Published in: | Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1991
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/e91-179 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/e91-179 |
| Summary: | The role of subglacial water storage beneath continental ice sheets is investigated, primarily for a deformable bed. Subglacial ponding is shown to occur under most regions of warm-based ice sheets, and large subglacial lakes can become established, for example in the Hudson Bay basin. The formation of large lakes depends upon the fact that the ice-surface gradient is reduced once subglacial ponding occurs and upon the feedback between the reduced ice-surface gradient and increased subglacial ponding. Subglacial ponding likely played a large role in determining the ice-sheet topography during late deglaciation and in speeding up the deglaciation process. |
|---|