A Continuum-Mechanical Model for the Flow of Anisotropic Polar Ice

In order to study the mechanical behaviour of polar ice masses, the method of continuum mechanics is used. The newly developed CAFFE model (Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model, based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement faclor) is described, which comprises an anisotropic flow law as well as...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Greve, Ralf, Placidi, Luca, Seddik, Hakime
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University
Subjects:
Ice
400
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2115/45440
Description
Summary:In order to study the mechanical behaviour of polar ice masses, the method of continuum mechanics is used. The newly developed CAFFE model (Continuum-mechanical, Anisotropic Flow model, based on an anisotropic Flow Enhancement faclor) is described, which comprises an anisotropic flow law as well as a fabric evolution equation. The flow law is an extension of the isotropic Glen's flow law, in which anisotropy enters via an enhancement factor that depends on the deformability of the polycrystal. The fabric evolution equation results from an orientational mass balance and includes constitutive relations for grain rotation and recrystallization. The CAFFE model fulfills all the fundamental principles of classical continuum mechanics, is sufficiently simple to allow numerical implementations in ice-flow models and contains only a limited number of free parameters. The applicability of the CAFFE model is demonstrated by a case study for the site of the EPICA (European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica) ice core in Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. II. Ice-sheet flow model