scholarly journals Rhombus and Rhomboid Parallelogram Patterns on Glaciers: Natural Indicators of Strain

1979 ◽  
Vol 22 (87) ◽  
pp. 247-261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles J. Waag ◽  
Keith Echelmeyer

AbstractSubtle rhombus and rhomboid parallelogram patterns occur on Vaughan Lewis Glacier and the Gilkey Glacier System, Juneau Icefield, Alaska. The patterns are within the firn at the firn-ice interface, are formed by differential recrystallization within narrow preferred zones, and are apparently manifestations of stresses transferred upward from the glacier ice. On the glaciers of the Gilkey System the patterns occur where intense lateral shortening is indicated by abrupt convergence of medial moraines and an abundance of extension crevasses. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids are subparallel to the strike of extension crevasses, therefore to the axis of shortening. The long axes of the rhombi and the acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids are parallel to the foliation, and ice-flow direction. The angles of the parallelograms are variable locally, but average 105° and 75°; the variation seems to reflect intensity and duration of stress. Similar parallelograms occur within the troughs of wave bulges below the Vaughan Lewis Icefall. In the wave bulges, the foliation arcs parallel the wave. The long axes of the rhombi and acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the foliation around the foliation arc. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the strikes of radial crevasses, are perpendicular to the direction of extension, and form a fan divergent down-stream. The precise mechanisms and conditions of formation of the parallelograms are not yet understood. Preliminary strain-rate measurements suggest, however, that correlations exist between the orientations of the principal strain-rates and the axes of the patterns, and between the magnitude of the strain-rates and the axial lengths of the patterns.

1979 ◽  
Vol 22 (87) ◽  
pp. 247-261
Author(s):  
Charles J. Waag ◽  
Keith Echelmeyer

AbstractSubtle rhombus and rhomboid parallelogram patterns occur on Vaughan Lewis Glacier and the Gilkey Glacier System, Juneau Icefield, Alaska. The patterns are within the firn at the firn-ice interface, are formed by differential recrystallization within narrow preferred zones, and are apparently manifestations of stresses transferred upward from the glacier ice. On the glaciers of the Gilkey System the patterns occur where intense lateral shortening is indicated by abrupt convergence of medial moraines and an abundance of extension crevasses. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids are subparallel to the strike of extension crevasses, therefore to the axis of shortening. The long axes of the rhombi and the acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids are parallel to the foliation, and ice-flow direction. The angles of the parallelograms are variable locally, but average 105° and 75°; the variation seems to reflect intensity and duration of stress. Similar parallelograms occur within the troughs of wave bulges below the Vaughan Lewis Icefall. In the wave bulges, the foliation arcs parallel the wave. The long axes of the rhombi and acute angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the foliation around the foliation arc. The short axes of the rhombi and the obtuse angle bisectors of the rhomboids parallel the strikes of radial crevasses, are perpendicular to the direction of extension, and form a fan divergent down-stream. The precise mechanisms and conditions of formation of the parallelograms are not yet understood. Preliminary strain-rate measurements suggest, however, that correlations exist between the orientations of the principal strain-rates and the axes of the patterns, and between the magnitude of the strain-rates and the axial lengths of the patterns.


1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (82) ◽  
pp. 41-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Hambrey ◽  
F. Müller

AbstractThe major structures in the long, narrow tongue of a sub-polar valley glacier are described: namely, longitudinal foliation, crevasses, clear-ice layers related to crevasses, debris-rich layers (frequently referred to as thrust or shear planes in the past), and folds. The foliation is vertical, is as well-developed in the centre of the glacier as at the margins, and does not, apparently, form perpendicular to the principal compressive strain-rate axis, nor exactly parallel to a line of maximum shearing strain-rate, although it sometimes approximately coincides with the latter. The intensity of foliation development is not related to the magnitude of the strain-rates, but the structure consistently lies parallel to flow lines through the glacier. There is no critical extending strain-rate, as such, associated with the development of new crevasses. Some crevasses have formed where the principal extending strain-rate is as low as 0.004 a-1while, in other areas, extending strain-rates of 0.163 a-1have not always resulted in fracturing. Prominent clear-ice layers, referred to as crevasse traces as displayed at the glacier surface, have formed in crevasse belts parallel to the main fracture directions. These are interpreted either as tensional veins or as the result of the freezing of water in crevasses. Extension parallel to the layering occurs during flow and, near the snout, the surface dip decreases rapidly. The fact that the crevasse traces can be followed to the snout implies that fracture occurs almost to the bottom of the glacier in the source area of the traces. Near the snout, debris-rich layers have developed parallel to the crevasse traces; frequently these are marked by prominent ridge-like ice-cored moraines. It is suggested that these structures are formed by a combination of basal freezing and thrusting. Isoclinal and tight similar folds on all scales are present. Some may be formed by the passive deformation of clear-ice layers as a result of differential flow; others may arise from the lateral compression of the original stratification in areas where ice flow becomes constricted by the narrowing of the valley. An axial plane foliation sometimes is associated with these folds.


1959 ◽  
Vol 3 (25) ◽  
pp. 409-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Nye

AbstractThe rate of strain tensor at a point on the surface of a glacier may be determined by setting up a number of stakes in a pattern and measuring the rate of change of the distances between them. A suitable pattern consists of four stakes at the corners of a square with one stake at the center. Five such patterns were used on Austerdalsbreen, Norway, in August 1956. The problem is to deduce the best values of the 3 independent components of the strain-rate tensor from the 8 measured quantities, and, for this purpose, a least-squares method, invented by Bond for the analogous problem in crystal physics, is used. The principal strain-rates are found to within about ±0.005 yr.−1and their directions relative to the stake system to within about ±0.5°. The directions and magnitudes of the principal stresses are then deduced from Glen’s flow law and a suitable general theory. The directions of the principal strain-rates are in good agreement with the directions of the crevasses, but the experiment is inconclusive on the question of the magnitude of the stress needed to form a crevasse.


1978 ◽  
Vol 20 (82) ◽  
pp. 41-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.J. Hambrey ◽  
F. Müller

AbstractThe major structures in the long, narrow tongue of a sub-polar valley glacier are described: namely, longitudinal foliation, crevasses, clear-ice layers related to crevasses, debris-rich layers (frequently referred to as thrust or shear planes in the past), and folds. The foliation is vertical, is as well-developed in the centre of the glacier as at the margins, and does not, apparently, form perpendicular to the principal compressive strain-rate axis, nor exactly parallel to a line of maximum shearing strain-rate, although it sometimes approximately coincides with the latter. The intensity of foliation development is not related to the magnitude of the strain-rates, but the structure consistently lies parallel to flow lines through the glacier. There is no critical extending strain-rate, as such, associated with the development of new crevasses. Some crevasses have formed where the principal extending strain-rate is as low as 0.004 a-1while, in other areas, extending strain-rates of 0.163 a-1have not always resulted in fracturing. Prominent clear-ice layers, referred to as crevasse traces as displayed at the glacier surface, have formed in crevasse belts parallel to the main fracture directions. These are interpreted either as tensional veins or as the result of the freezing of water in crevasses. Extension parallel to the layering occurs during flow and, near the snout, the surface dip decreases rapidly. The fact that the crevasse traces can be followed to the snout implies that fracture occurs almost to the bottom of the glacier in the source area of the traces. Near the snout, debris-rich layers have developed parallel to the crevasse traces; frequently these are marked by prominent ridge-like ice-cored moraines. It is suggested that these structures are formed by a combination of basal freezing and thrusting. Isoclinal and tight similar folds on all scales are present. Some may be formed by the passive deformation of clear-ice layers as a result of differential flow; others may arise from the lateral compression of the original stratification in areas where ice flow becomes constricted by the narrowing of the valley. An axial plane foliation sometimes is associated with these folds.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (137) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Gagnon ◽  
P.H. Gammon

AbstractFlexural strength of iceberg and glacier ice was determined from Four-point beam-bending experiments. A large quantity of glacial ice was collected from four icebergs and one glacier, and a detailed ice-characterization program was performed on samples from the five sources. Beam-bending experiments were conducted at four temperatures in the range −1 ° to-16 °C and at strain rates of 10 −3 and 10−5 s−1. The flexural strength was found to increase with increasing strain rate (based on extreme fibre strain and decreasing temperature. The data suggest than air-bubble inclusions play an important role in determining the flexural strength of glacial ice and this can explain the significant differences in mean strength of the ice from the five sources. At a strain rate of 10−3 s−1 and temperature of —11 °C, the flexural strength was found to increase as the number of bubbles per unit volume increased. Reduction of crack-initiating stresses at grain boundaries by “softening” of grains due to intragranular air-bubble inclusions is thought to be the mechanism.


1959 ◽  
Vol 3 (25) ◽  
pp. 409-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Nye

AbstractThe rate of strain tensor at a point on the surface of a glacier may be determined by setting up a number of stakes in a pattern and measuring the rate of change of the distances between them. A suitable pattern consists of four stakes at the corners of a square with one stake at the center. Five such patterns were used on Austerdalsbreen, Norway, in August 1956. The problem is to deduce the best values of the 3 independent components of the strain-rate tensor from the 8 measured quantities, and, for this purpose, a least-squares method, invented by Bond for the analogous problem in crystal physics, is used. The principal strain-rates are found to within about ±0.005 yr.−1 and their directions relative to the stake system to within about ±0.5°. The directions and magnitudes of the principal stresses are then deduced from Glen’s flow law and a suitable general theory. The directions of the principal strain-rates are in good agreement with the directions of the crevasses, but the experiment is inconclusive on the question of the magnitude of the stress needed to form a crevasse.


1995 ◽  
Vol 41 (137) ◽  
pp. 103-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.E. Gagnon ◽  
P.H. Gammon

Abstract Flexural strength of iceberg and glacier ice was determined from Four-point beam-bending experiments. A large quantity of glacial ice was collected from four icebergs and one glacier, and a detailed ice-characterization program was performed on samples from the five sources. Beam-bending experiments were conducted at four temperatures in the range −1 ° to-16 °C and at strain rates of 10 −3 and 10−5 s−1. The flexural strength was found to increase with increasing strain rate (based on extreme fibre strain and decreasing temperature. The data suggest than air-bubble inclusions play an important role in determining the flexural strength of glacial ice and this can explain the significant differences in mean strength of the ice from the five sources. At a strain rate of 10−3 s−1 and temperature of —11 °C, the flexural strength was found to increase as the number of bubbles per unit volume increased. Reduction of crack-initiating stresses at grain boundaries by “softening” of grains due to intragranular air-bubble inclusions is thought to be the mechanism.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6616
Author(s):  
Kun Zhong ◽  
Wusheng Zhao ◽  
Changkun Qin ◽  
Weizhong Chen

The study of the mechanical properties and failure behaviors for coal with different bedding structures at various medium strain rates is of great importance for revealing the mechanism of rock burst. In our study, we systematically analyze the uniaxial compressive strength (UCS), acoustic emission (AE) characteristics, failure pattern, and risk of rock burst on coal specimens with two bedding orientations under ranged in strain rates from 10−4 s−1 to 10−2 s−1. The results reflect that and the bedding direction and the strain rates significantly affect the UCS and failure modes of coal specimens. The UCS of coal specimens with loading directions perpendicular to bedding planes (horizontal bedding) increases logarithmically with increasing strain rate while the UCS increases first and then decreases of coal specimens with loading directions parallel to bedding planes (vertical bedding). The AE cumulative energy of the specimens with horizontal bedding is an order of magnitude higher than that of specimens with vertical bedding. However, it is independent of the strain rates. The energy release rates of these two types of bedded coal specimens increase in a power function as the strain rate increases. The coal specimens with horizontal bedding show violent failure followed by the ejection of fragments, indicating a high risk of rock burst. On the other hand, the coal specimens with vertical bedding exhibit a tensile splitting failure with a low risk of rock burst. Strain localization is a precursor of coal failure, and the concentration area of local principal strain is highly consistent with the initial damage area, and the area where the principal strain gradient is significantly increased corresponds to the fracture initiation area.


Author(s):  
M. F. Stevens ◽  
P. S. Follansbee

The strain rate sensitivity of a variety of materials is known to increase rapidly at strain rates exceeding ∼103 sec-1. This transition has most often in the past been attributed to a transition from thermally activated guide to viscous drag control. An important condition for imposition of dislocation drag effects is that the applied stress, σ, must be on the order of or greater than the threshold stress, which is the flow stress at OK. From Fig. 1, it can be seen for OFE Cu that the ratio of the applied stress to threshold stress remains constant even at strain rates as high as 104 sec-1 suggesting that there is not a mechanism transition but that the intrinsic strength is increasing, since the threshold strength is a mechanical measure of intrinsic strength. These measurements were made at constant strain levels of 0.2, wnich is not a guarantee of constant microstructure. The increase in threshold stress at higher strain rates is a strong indication that the microstructural evolution is a function of strain rate and that the dependence becomes stronger at high strain rates.


1993 ◽  
Vol 39 (131) ◽  
pp. 10-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. Nye

AbstractThe pattern of horizontal strain rate in an ice sheet is discussed from a topological point of view. In a circularly symmetric ice sheet, the isotropic point for strain rate at its centre is degenerate and structurally unstable. On perturbation the degenerate point splits into two elementary isotropic points, each of which has the lemon pattern for the trajectories of principal strain rate. Contour maps of principal strain-rate values are presented which show the details of the splitting.


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