Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels
Models are proposed for channelized and distributed flow of meltwater at the base of an ice sheet. The volumes of both channel and distributed systems evolve according to a competition between processes that open drainage space (e.g. sliding over bedrock,melting of the ice) and processes that close...
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2011
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| _version_ | 1797100624301522944 |
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| author | Hewitt, I |
| author_facet | Hewitt, I |
| author_sort | Hewitt, I |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Models are proposed for channelized and distributed flow of meltwater at the base of an ice sheet. The volumes of both channel and distributed systems evolve according to a competition between processes that open drainage space (e.g. sliding over bedrock,melting of the ice) and processes that close it (e.g. viscous creep of the ice due to a positive effective pressure). Channels are generally predicted to have lower water pressure and therefore capture water from the surrounding regions of distributed flow. There is a natural length scale associated with the distributed system that determines the width of the bed from which water can be drawn into a channel. It is suggested that this determines the spacing between major channels and that this may be reflected in the spacing of eskers. A more permeable distributed system results in more widely spaced, and therefore larger, channels. Calculations of the flow into the head of a channel reveal that there is a critical discharge necessary for it to form, and provide a criterion for where channels can exist. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:40:12Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:e54f3548-ebdf-4dd9-9572-c52a8acd90b1 |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T05:40:12Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:e54f3548-ebdf-4dd9-9572-c52a8acd90b12022-03-27T10:22:59ZModelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channelsJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:e54f3548-ebdf-4dd9-9572-c52a8acd90b1EnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2011Hewitt, IModels are proposed for channelized and distributed flow of meltwater at the base of an ice sheet. The volumes of both channel and distributed systems evolve according to a competition between processes that open drainage space (e.g. sliding over bedrock,melting of the ice) and processes that close it (e.g. viscous creep of the ice due to a positive effective pressure). Channels are generally predicted to have lower water pressure and therefore capture water from the surrounding regions of distributed flow. There is a natural length scale associated with the distributed system that determines the width of the bed from which water can be drawn into a channel. It is suggested that this determines the spacing between major channels and that this may be reflected in the spacing of eskers. A more permeable distributed system results in more widely spaced, and therefore larger, channels. Calculations of the flow into the head of a channel reveal that there is a critical discharge necessary for it to form, and provide a criterion for where channels can exist. |
| spellingShingle | Hewitt, I Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title | Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title_full | Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title_fullStr | Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title_short | Modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage: The spacing of channels |
| title_sort | modelling distributed and channelized subglacial drainage the spacing of channels |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hewitti modellingdistributedandchannelizedsubglacialdrainagethespacingofchannels |