STABILITY OF ICE-AGE CAPS
Abstract
The stability of large ice caps is investigated using the present-day theory of the flow of ice in glaciers and ice sheets. The type of instability is that mentioned by Bodvarsson. It is concluded that a small arctic ice cap can become unstable and expand into a large ice-age ice sheet as a result of moderate changes in the regime of the ice cap. A large continental ice cap also can become unstable and shrink to nothing if the snow accumulation is reduced or the ablation rate increased. The results fit well into the Ewing-Donn theory of ice ages. There is the possibility that the inherent instability of ice-age ice caps is in itself sufficient to explain both the formation and disappearance of these ice caps. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1962
- Accession Number
- AD0284937
Entities
People
- Johannes Weertman
Organizations
- Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory