Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Spatial Variability In The Flow Of A Valley Glacier: Deformation Of A Large Array Of Boreholes, Joel T. Harper, Neil Humphrey, W. Tad Pfeffer, Snehalata V. Huzurbazar, David B. Bahr, Brian C. Welch

Geosciences Faculty Publications

Measurements of the deformation of a dense array of boreholes in Worthington Glacier, Alaska, show that the glacier moves with generally bed-parallel motion. Strain in the 200 m deep valley glacier is constant near the surface but follows a nonlinear vertical profile below a depth of about 120 m. By a depth of 180 m, the octahedral strain rate reaches 0.35 yr^-1. The three-dimensional velocity field shows spatial complexity with significant deviations from plane strain, despite relatively simple valley geometry in the vicinity of the 6 x 10⁶ m³ study volume. No evidence was found for …