Imaging the structure of cave ice by ground-penetrating radar

Hausmann, Helmut; Behm, Michael

doi:10.5194/tc-5-329-2011

Cited by 24 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…Although Endres et al (2009) have argued that this model slightly underestimates water content, this is the most commonly used mixing model and so is useful for comparison with other studies (Macheret et al, 1993;Murray et al, 2000;Hausmann and Behm, 2011). We can, therefore, use this method to determine at least a minimum value for water content within the main body of the glacier.…”

Section: Water Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Englacial and subglacial water flow at Skálafellsjökull, Iceland derived from ground penetrating radar,in situGlacsweb probe and borehole water level measurements

Hart

Rose

Clayton

et al. 2015

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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We reconstruct englacial and subglacial drainage at Skálafellsjökull, Iceland, using ground penetrating radar (GPR) common offset surveys, borehole studies and Glacsweb probe data. We find that englacial water is not stored within the glacier (water content~0-0.3%). Instead, the glacier is mostly impermeable and meltwater is able to pass quickly through the main body of the glacier via crevasses and moulins. Once at the glacier bed, water is stored within a thin (1 m) layer of debris-rich basal ice (2% water content) and the till. The hydraulic potential mapped across the survey area indicates that when water pressures are high (most of the year), water flows parallel to the margin, and emerges 3 km down glacier at an outlet tongue. GPR data indicates that these flow pathways may have formed a series of braided channels. We show that this glacier has a very low water-storage capacity, but an efficient englacial drainage network for transferring water to the glacier bed and, therefore, it has the potential to respond rapidly to changes in melt-water inputs.

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Section: Water Contentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Englacial and subglacial water flow at Skálafellsjökull, Iceland derived from ground penetrating radar,in situGlacsweb probe and borehole water level measurements

Hart

Rose

Clayton

et al. 2015

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…-geometrical characterization of the ice body at the coring location by GPR survey (see Behm and Hausmann, 2007;Hausmann and Behm, 2011) -coring and stable-isotope measurements of ice samples (May et al, 2011) -mass and energy balance of ice body at the coring site (Obleitner and Spötl, 2011) Fig. 1.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linkage of cave-ice changes to weather patterns inside and outside the cave Eisriesenwelt (Tennengebirge, Austria)

2011

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Abstract. The behaviour of perennial ice masses in karst caves in relation to the outside climate is still not well understood, though a significant potential of the cave-ice for paleo-climate reconstructions could be expected. This study investigates the relationship between weather patterns inside and outside the cave Eisriesenwelt (Austrian Alps) and icesurface changes of the ice-covered part of the cave from meteorological observations at three sites (outside the cave, entrance-near inside and in the middle section of the cave) including atmospheric and ice surface measurements as well as an ablation stake network. Whereas ice loss in summer was a general feature from stake measurements for almost all measurement sites in the cave in 2007, 2008 and 2009 (values up to −15 cm yr −1 ), a clear seasonal signal of ice accumulation (e.g. in spring as expected from theory) was not observed. It is shown that under recent climate the cave ice mass balance is more sensitive to winter climate for the inner measurement site and sensitive to winter and summer climate for the entrance-near site. Observed ice surface changes can be well explained by cave atmosphere measurements, indicating a clear annual cycle with weak mass loss in winter due to sublimation, stable ice conditions in spring until summer (autumn for the inner measurement site) and significant melt in late summer to autumn (for the entrance-near site). Interestingly, surface ice melt did not contribute to ablation at the inner site. It is obvious from the spatial sample of ice surface height observations that the ice body is currently in rather balanced state, though the influence of show-cave management on ice mass-balance could not be clearly quantified (but a significant input on accumulation for some parts of the cave is rather plausible).

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“…Ice caves, namely natural caves formed in bedrock containing perennial accumulations of ice, are considered as sporadic permafrost phenomena (Holmlund et al, 2005;Luetscher et al, 2005;Hausmann and Behm, 2011;Luetscher et al, 2013). As part of the cryosphere, ice caves occurrence is closely linked to cold climates, even if they do also exist in different kind of environments, often at an altitude with an outside mean annual air temperature well-above 0°C (Holmlund et al, 2005;Stoffel et al, 2009;Obleitner and Spötl, 2012;Colucci et al, 2016b).…”

Section: Little Ice Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Permafrost conditions in the Mediterranean region since the Last Glaciation

Oliva

Žebre

Guglielmin

et al. 2018

Earth-Science Reviews

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The relatively warm climate conditions prevailing today in the Mediterranean region limit cold geomorphological processes only to the highest mountain environments. However, climate variability during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene has led to significant spatio-temporal variations of the glacial and periglacial domain in these mountains, including permafrost conditions. Here, we examine the distribution and evolution of permafrost in the Mediterranean region considering five time periods: Last Glaciation, deglaciation, Holocene, Little Ice Age (LIA) and present-day. The distribution of inactive permafrost-derived features as well as sedimentary records indicates that the elevation limit of permafrost during the Last Glaciation was between 1000 m and even 2000 m lower than present. Permafrost was also widespread in non-glaciated slopes above the snowline forming rock glaciers and block streams, as well as meter-sized stone circles in relatively flat summit areas. As in most of the Northern Hemisphere, the onset of deglaciation in the Mediterranean region started around 19-20 ka. The ice-free terrain left by retreating glaciers was subject to paraglacial activity and intense periglacial processes under permafrost conditions. Many rock glaciers, protalus lobes and block streams formed in these recently deglaciated environments, though most of them became gradually inactive as temperatures kept rising, especially those at lower altitudes. Following the Younger Dryas glacial advance, the Early Holocene saw the last massive deglaciation in Mediterranean mountains accompanied by a progressive shift of permafrost conditions to higher elevations. It is unlikely that air temperatures recorded in Mediterranean mountains during the Holocene favoured the existence of widespread permafrost regimes, with the only exception of the highest massifs exceeding 2500-3000 m. LIA colder climate promoted a minor glacial advance and the spatial expansion of permafrost, with the development of new protalus lobes and rock glaciers in the highest massifs. Finally, post-LIA warming has led to glacial retreat/disappearance, enhanced paraglacial activity, shift of periglacial processes to higher elevations, degradation of alpine permafrost along with geoecological changes.

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Imaging the structure of cave ice by ground-penetrating radar

Cited by 24 publications

References 28 publications

Englacial and subglacial water flow at Skálafellsjökull, Iceland derived from ground penetrating radar,in situGlacsweb probe and borehole water level measurements

Englacial and subglacial water flow at Skálafellsjökull, Iceland derived from ground penetrating radar,in situGlacsweb probe and borehole water level measurements

Linkage of cave-ice changes to weather patterns inside and outside the cave Eisriesenwelt (Tennengebirge, Austria)

Permafrost conditions in the Mediterranean region since the Last Glaciation

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