Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/11681/5876
Title: Mechanism for the formation of inner moraines found near the edge of cold ice caps
Authors: Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.). Technological Institute
Weertman, Johannes
Keywords: Moraines
Glaciers
Ice
Ice sheets
Ice caps
Greenland
Publisher: Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)
Engineer Research and Development Center (U.S.)
Series/Report no.: Research report (Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (U.S.)) ; 94.
Description: Research Report
Summary: A new mechanism is described which explains the formation of moraines in the ablation areas of cold ice caps. The mechanism involves the freezing of water onto the bottom surface of an ice cap. This water comes from regions of the bottom surface where the combination of the geothermal heat and the heat produced by sliding of ice over the bed is sufficient to melt ice. A number of criticisms are made of the shear hypothesis, which has been advanced to explain moraines occurring on Baffin Island and near Thule, Greenland. It is concluded that this older hypothesis may be inadequate to account for these moraines. Although in theory the mechanism proposed here undoubtedly would lead to the formation of moraines, the existing field data are insufficient to prove conclusively that actual moraines have originated in this way.
Rights: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/11681/5876
Appears in Collections:Research Report

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