Complex fabric development revealed by englacial seismic reflectivity: Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

H. J. Horgan; S. Anandakrishnan; R. B. Alley; L. E. Peters; G. P. Tsoflias; D. E. Voigt; J. P. Winbery

doi:10.1029/2008GL033712

Complex fabric development revealed by englacial seismic reflectivity: Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

H. J. Horgan, S. Anandakrishnan, R. B. Alley, L. E. Peters, G. P. Tsoflias, D. E. Voigt, J. P. Winbery

Geosciences

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36 Scopus citations

Abstract

High-resolution reflection seismic data from Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, reveal complex fabric development. Abundant englacial reflectivity occurs for approximately half the thickness of the ice (the lower half), and disruption of the englacial reflectors occurs in the lower 10-15% of the ice-thickness. These depths correspond to the higher impurity-content, and more easily deformed, ice from the Younger Dryas and Last Glacial Maximum to Stage-3. We conclude that the reflectivity results from contrasting seismic velocities due to changes in the crystal orientation fabric of the ice, and suggest that these fabric changes are caused by variations in impurity loading and subsequent deformation history. These findings emphasize the difference between ice-divide and ice-stream crystal orientation fabrics and have implications for predictive ice sheet modeling.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	L10501
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	35
Issue number	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033712
State	Published - May 28 2008

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geophysics
Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

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10.1029/2008GL033712

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title = "Complex fabric development revealed by englacial seismic reflectivity: Jakobshavn Isbr{\ae}, Greenland",

abstract = "High-resolution reflection seismic data from Jakobshavn Isbr{\ae}, Greenland, reveal complex fabric development. Abundant englacial reflectivity occurs for approximately half the thickness of the ice (the lower half), and disruption of the englacial reflectors occurs in the lower 10-15% of the ice-thickness. These depths correspond to the higher impurity-content, and more easily deformed, ice from the Younger Dryas and Last Glacial Maximum to Stage-3. We conclude that the reflectivity results from contrasting seismic velocities due to changes in the crystal orientation fabric of the ice, and suggest that these fabric changes are caused by variations in impurity loading and subsequent deformation history. These findings emphasize the difference between ice-divide and ice-stream crystal orientation fabrics and have implications for predictive ice sheet modeling.",

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T2 - Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

AU - Horgan, H. J.

AU - Anandakrishnan, S.

AU - Alley, R. B.

AU - Peters, L. E.

AU - Tsoflias, G. P.

AU - Voigt, D. E.

AU - Winbery, J. P.

PY - 2008/5/28

Y1 - 2008/5/28

N2 - High-resolution reflection seismic data from Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, reveal complex fabric development. Abundant englacial reflectivity occurs for approximately half the thickness of the ice (the lower half), and disruption of the englacial reflectors occurs in the lower 10-15% of the ice-thickness. These depths correspond to the higher impurity-content, and more easily deformed, ice from the Younger Dryas and Last Glacial Maximum to Stage-3. We conclude that the reflectivity results from contrasting seismic velocities due to changes in the crystal orientation fabric of the ice, and suggest that these fabric changes are caused by variations in impurity loading and subsequent deformation history. These findings emphasize the difference between ice-divide and ice-stream crystal orientation fabrics and have implications for predictive ice sheet modeling.

AB - High-resolution reflection seismic data from Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland, reveal complex fabric development. Abundant englacial reflectivity occurs for approximately half the thickness of the ice (the lower half), and disruption of the englacial reflectors occurs in the lower 10-15% of the ice-thickness. These depths correspond to the higher impurity-content, and more easily deformed, ice from the Younger Dryas and Last Glacial Maximum to Stage-3. We conclude that the reflectivity results from contrasting seismic velocities due to changes in the crystal orientation fabric of the ice, and suggest that these fabric changes are caused by variations in impurity loading and subsequent deformation history. These findings emphasize the difference between ice-divide and ice-stream crystal orientation fabrics and have implications for predictive ice sheet modeling.

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Complex fabric development revealed by englacial seismic reflectivity: Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland

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