A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law

Calving is a primary process of mass ablation for glaciers and ice sheets, though it still eludes a general physical law. Here, we propose a calving framework based on continuum damage mechanics coupled with the equations of viscous deformation of glacier ice. We introduce a scalar damage variable t...

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Published in:Geophysical Research Letters
Main Authors: Borstad, CP, Khazendar, A, Larour, E, Morlighem, M, Rignot, E, Schodlok, MP, Seroussi, H
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: eScholarship, University of California 2012
Subjects:
Ice Sheet
Ice Shelf
Online Access:http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4
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spelling ftcdlib:qt95v6k9p4 2023-05-15T16:40:53+02:00 A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law Borstad, CP Khazendar, A Larour, E Morlighem, M Rignot, E Schodlok, MP Seroussi, H 2012-09-01 application/pdf http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4 english eng eScholarship, University of California qt95v6k9p4 http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4 Attribution (CC BY): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ CC-BY Borstad, CP; Khazendar, A; Larour, E; Morlighem, M; Rignot, E; Schodlok, MP; et al.(2012). A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law. Geophysical Research Letters, 39(17). doi:10.1029/2012GL053317. UC Irvine: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4 article 2012 ftcdlib https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL053317 2018-07-13T22:53:11Z Calving is a primary process of mass ablation for glaciers and ice sheets, though it still eludes a general physical law. Here, we propose a calving framework based on continuum damage mechanics coupled with the equations of viscous deformation of glacier ice. We introduce a scalar damage variable that quantifies the loss of load-bearing surface area due to fractures and that feeds back with ice viscosity to represent fracture-induced softening. The calving law is a standard failure criterion for viscous damaging materials and represents a macroscopic brittle instability quantified by a critical or threshold damage. We constrain this threshold using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM) by inverting for damage on the Larsen B ice shelf prior to its 2002 collapse. By analyzing the damage distribution in areas that subsequently calved, we conclude that calving occurs after fractures have reduced the load-bearing capacity of the ice by 60 ± 10%. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved. Article in Journal/Newspaper Ice Sheet Ice Shelf University of California: eScholarship Geophysical Research Letters 39 18
institution Open Polar
collection University of California: eScholarship
op_collection_id ftcdlib
language English
description Calving is a primary process of mass ablation for glaciers and ice sheets, though it still eludes a general physical law. Here, we propose a calving framework based on continuum damage mechanics coupled with the equations of viscous deformation of glacier ice. We introduce a scalar damage variable that quantifies the loss of load-bearing surface area due to fractures and that feeds back with ice viscosity to represent fracture-induced softening. The calving law is a standard failure criterion for viscous damaging materials and represents a macroscopic brittle instability quantified by a critical or threshold damage. We constrain this threshold using the Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM) by inverting for damage on the Larsen B ice shelf prior to its 2002 collapse. By analyzing the damage distribution in areas that subsequently calved, we conclude that calving occurs after fractures have reduced the load-bearing capacity of the ice by 60 ± 10%. © 2012. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.
format Article in Journal/Newspaper
author Borstad, CP
Khazendar, A
Larour, E
Morlighem, M
Rignot, E
Schodlok, MP
Seroussi, H
spellingShingle Borstad, CP
Khazendar, A
Larour, E
Morlighem, M
Rignot, E
Schodlok, MP
Seroussi, H
A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
author_facet Borstad, CP
Khazendar, A
Larour, E
Morlighem, M
Rignot, E
Schodlok, MP
Seroussi, H
author_sort Borstad, CP
title A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
title_short A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
title_full A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
title_fullStr A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
title_full_unstemmed A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law
title_sort damage mechanics assessment of the larsen b ice shelf prior to collapse: toward a physically-based calving law
publisher eScholarship, University of California
publishDate 2012
url http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4
genre Ice Sheet
Ice Shelf
genre_facet Ice Sheet
Ice Shelf
op_source Borstad, CP; Khazendar, A; Larour, E; Morlighem, M; Rignot, E; Schodlok, MP; et al.(2012). A damage mechanics assessment of the Larsen B ice shelf prior to collapse: Toward a physically-based calving law. Geophysical Research Letters, 39(17). doi:10.1029/2012GL053317. UC Irvine: Retrieved from: http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4
op_relation qt95v6k9p4
http://www.escholarship.org/uc/item/95v6k9p4
op_rights Attribution (CC BY): http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
op_rightsnorm CC-BY
op_doi https://doi.org/10.1029/2012GL053317
container_title Geophysical Research Letters
container_volume 39
container_issue 18
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