Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier
Subglacial drainage systems are known to critically control ice flows, but their spatial configuration and temporal evolution are poorly constrained due to inaccessibility. Here we report a 12‐year‐long monitoring of the drainage underneath Bering Glacier, Alaska, by correlating ambient noise record...
Published in: | Geophysical Research Letters |
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American Geophysical Union
2019
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ftcaltechauth:oai:authors.library.caltech.edu:95019 2023-05-15T16:20:26+02:00 Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier Zhan, Zhongwen 2019-05-16 application/pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/3/Zhan-2019-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/2/grl58917-sup-0001-2019gl082411-s01.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470 en eng American Geophysical Union https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/3/Zhan-2019-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/2/grl58917-sup-0001-2019gl082411-s01.pdf Zhan, Zhongwen (2019) Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier. Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (9). pp. 4747-4756. ISSN 0094-8276. doi:10.1029/2019GL082411. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470> other Article PeerReviewed 2019 ftcaltechauth https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082411 2021-11-18T18:50:29Z Subglacial drainage systems are known to critically control ice flows, but their spatial configuration and temporal evolution are poorly constrained due to inaccessibility. Here we report a 12‐year‐long monitoring of the drainage underneath Bering Glacier, Alaska, by correlating ambient noise recorded at two seismic stations on the sides of the glacier. We find that the seismic surface waves traveling across Bering Glacier slowed down by 1–2% during its latest 2008–2011 surge, likely due to the switch of the subglacial drainage from a channelized system to a distributed system. In contrast to current models, the relative amplitude of velocity reductions for Rayleigh and Love waves requires the distributed drainage to be highly anisotropic and aligned perpendicular to the ice flow direction. We infer that the subglacial water flow is mainly through a network of transverse basal crevasses during surges and thus can sustain the high water pressure and ice flow speed. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Alaska Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) Geophysical Research Letters 46 9 4747 4756 |
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Open Polar |
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Caltech Authors (California Institute of Technology) |
op_collection_id |
ftcaltechauth |
language |
English |
description |
Subglacial drainage systems are known to critically control ice flows, but their spatial configuration and temporal evolution are poorly constrained due to inaccessibility. Here we report a 12‐year‐long monitoring of the drainage underneath Bering Glacier, Alaska, by correlating ambient noise recorded at two seismic stations on the sides of the glacier. We find that the seismic surface waves traveling across Bering Glacier slowed down by 1–2% during its latest 2008–2011 surge, likely due to the switch of the subglacial drainage from a channelized system to a distributed system. In contrast to current models, the relative amplitude of velocity reductions for Rayleigh and Love waves requires the distributed drainage to be highly anisotropic and aligned perpendicular to the ice flow direction. We infer that the subglacial water flow is mainly through a network of transverse basal crevasses during surges and thus can sustain the high water pressure and ice flow speed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Zhan, Zhongwen |
spellingShingle |
Zhan, Zhongwen Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
author_facet |
Zhan, Zhongwen |
author_sort |
Zhan, Zhongwen |
title |
Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
title_short |
Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
title_full |
Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
title_fullStr |
Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier |
title_sort |
seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging bering glacier |
publisher |
American Geophysical Union |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/ https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/3/Zhan-2019-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/2/grl58917-sup-0001-2019gl082411-s01.pdf https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470 |
genre |
glacier Alaska |
genre_facet |
glacier Alaska |
op_relation |
https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/3/Zhan-2019-Geophysical_Research_Letters.pdf https://authors.library.caltech.edu/95019/2/grl58917-sup-0001-2019gl082411-s01.pdf Zhan, Zhongwen (2019) Seismic noise interferometry reveals transverse drainage configuration beneath the surging Bering Glacier. Geophysical Research Letters, 46 (9). pp. 4747-4756. ISSN 0094-8276. doi:10.1029/2019GL082411. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470 <https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechAUTHORS:20190426-100526470> |
op_rights |
other |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL082411 |
container_title |
Geophysical Research Letters |
container_volume |
46 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
4747 |
op_container_end_page |
4756 |
_version_ |
1766008348479586304 |