SNOW ACCUMULATION STUDIES ON THE THULE PENINSULA, GREENLAND.

Data from stake measurements, marker boards and pits along a 136-km trail crossing the Thule Peninsula sector of the Greenland ice sheet have been used to determine both the regional and local distribution of snow accumulation. On a regional scale, trend surfaces of mean annual accumulation can be a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Mock,Steven J.
Other Authors: COLD REGIONS RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING LAB HANOVER N H
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 1968
Subjects:
Snow
Ice and Permafrost
*SNOW
GREENLAND
VOLUME
SURFACE PROPERTIES
ENVIRONMENTS
ICE ISLANDS
THICKNESS
MEASUREMENT
REGRESSION ANALYSIS
TERRAIN
MOISTURE
AVALANCHES
Greenland
Ice
Ice Sheet
permafrost
Thule
Online Access:http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/AD0667947
http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=AD0667947
Description
Summary:Data from stake measurements, marker boards and pits along a 136-km trail crossing the Thule Peninsula sector of the Greenland ice sheet have been used to determine both the regional and local distribution of snow accumulation. On a regional scale, trend surfaces of mean annual accumulation can be adequately predicted from a model using distance from moisture source and elevation as independent parameters. A series of steplike or wavelike features breaks the smooth profile of the ice sheet and causes profound changes in accumulation rates on a local scale. The accumulation pattern over these features can be predicted from surface slope and departure from regional elevation. Profiles of surface and subsurface topography indicate a direct relationship between subsurface hills and steplike features but cannot be quantitatively accounted for by existing ice flow theory. Detailed accumulation studies in conjunction with a program of spirit leveling in the vicinity of Camp Century have revealed the development of a shallow valleylike feature. Within this feature accumulation rates have increased, indicating that it is the result of flow phenomena. (Author)

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