Sponsor
This work was supported by NASA grant No. 622-83-32-20. C.L.H. was supported by a U.S. National Research Council Research Associateship. D.L.M. was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs grant No. 9319369.
Published In
Annals of Glaciology
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2000
Subjects
Glacial landforms -- Antarctica, Glaciers -- Antarctica -- Mathematical models, Ice sheets -- Antarctica
Abstract
A network of relatively fast-flowing tributaries in the catchment basins of the West Antarctic ice streams transport ice from the inland reservoir to the heads of the ice streams. Branches of the network follow valleys in basal topography, but not all valleys contain tributaries. We investigate the circumstances favoring tributary flow upstream of Ice Streams D and E, using a combination of observation and numerical modelling. No consistent pattern emerges. The transition from tributary to ice-stream flow occurs smoothly along the main tributary feeding into the onset of Ice Stream D, with ice thickness being relatively more important upstream, and sliding being relatively more important downstream. Elsewhere, the downstream pattern of flow is more complicated, with local increases and decreases in the contribution of sliding to ice speed. Those changes may be due to variations in basal water storage, subglacial geologic properties or a combination of the two.
DOI
10.3189/172756400781819969
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/8442
Citation Details
Hulbe, C.L., I. Joughin, D. Morse, R. Bindschadler, 2000. Tributaries to West Antarctic ice streams: characteristics deduced from numerical modelling of ice flow, Annals of Glaciology, v. 31, 184-190.
Description
Originally appeared in Annals of Glaciology, published by the International Glaciological Society. Article can be found at http://www.igsoc.org/annals/