Glacier surge mechanism: 1982-1983 surge of variegated glacier, alaska.
The hundredfold speedup in glacier motion in a surge of the kind the kind that took place in Variegated Glacier in 1982-1983 is caused by the buildup of high water pressure in the basal passageway system, which is made possible by a fundamental and pervasive change in the geometry and water-transport characteristics of this system. The behavior of the glacier in surge has many remarkable features, which can provide clues to a detailed theory of the surging process. The surge mechanism is akin to a proposed mechanism of overthrust faulting.
Kamb
B
B
Raymond
C F
CF
Harrison
W D
WD
Engelhardt
H
H
Echelmeyer
K A
KA
Humphrey
N
N
Brugman
M M
MM
Pfeffer
T
T