Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics
Rifts are full-thickness fractures that propagate laterally across an ice shelf. They cause ice-shelf weakening and calving of tabular icebergs, and control the initial size of calved icebergs. Here, we present a joint inverse and forward computational modeling framework to capture rifting by combin...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000710/type/journal_article |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850247085079658496 |
|---|---|
| author | Alex Huth Ravindra Duddu Benjamin Smith Olga Sergienko |
| author_facet | Alex Huth Ravindra Duddu Benjamin Smith Olga Sergienko |
| author_sort | Alex Huth |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rifts are full-thickness fractures that propagate laterally across an ice shelf. They cause ice-shelf weakening and calving of tabular icebergs, and control the initial size of calved icebergs. Here, we present a joint inverse and forward computational modeling framework to capture rifting by combining the vertically integrated momentum balance and anisotropic continuum damage mechanics formulations. We incorporate rift–flank boundary processes to investigate how the rift path is influenced by the pressure on rift–flank walls from seawater, contact between flanks, and ice mélange that may also transmit stress between flanks. To illustrate the viability of the framework, we simulate the final 2 years of rift propagation associated with the calving of tabular iceberg A68 in 2017. We find that the rift path can change with varying ice mélange conditions and the extent of contact between rift flanks. Combinations of parameters associated with slower rift widening rates yield simulated rift paths that best match observations. Our modeling framework lays the foundation for robust simulation of rifting and tabular calving processes, which can enable future studies on ice-sheet–climate interactions, and the effects of ice-shelf buttressing on land ice flow. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b0820a33cd8d4ed1abacce2b7360c729 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj-art-b0820a33cd8d4ed1abacce2b7360c7292025-08-20T01:59:01ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522023-12-01691915192810.1017/jog.2023.71Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanicsAlex Huth0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7590-3525Ravindra Duddu1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4205-0247Benjamin Smith2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1118-7865Olga Sergienko3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5764-8815NOAA/GFDL, Princeton, NJ, USA Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USADepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USAApplied Physics Laboratory, Polar Science Center, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USAAtmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USARifts are full-thickness fractures that propagate laterally across an ice shelf. They cause ice-shelf weakening and calving of tabular icebergs, and control the initial size of calved icebergs. Here, we present a joint inverse and forward computational modeling framework to capture rifting by combining the vertically integrated momentum balance and anisotropic continuum damage mechanics formulations. We incorporate rift–flank boundary processes to investigate how the rift path is influenced by the pressure on rift–flank walls from seawater, contact between flanks, and ice mélange that may also transmit stress between flanks. To illustrate the viability of the framework, we simulate the final 2 years of rift propagation associated with the calving of tabular iceberg A68 in 2017. We find that the rift path can change with varying ice mélange conditions and the extent of contact between rift flanks. Combinations of parameters associated with slower rift widening rates yield simulated rift paths that best match observations. Our modeling framework lays the foundation for robust simulation of rifting and tabular calving processes, which can enable future studies on ice-sheet–climate interactions, and the effects of ice-shelf buttressing on land ice flow.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000710/type/journal_articleAntarctic glaciologyglacier modelingglaciological model experimentsiceberg calvingice shelves |
| spellingShingle | Alex Huth Ravindra Duddu Benjamin Smith Olga Sergienko Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics Journal of Glaciology Antarctic glaciology glacier modeling glaciological model experiments iceberg calving ice shelves |
| title | Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| title_full | Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| title_fullStr | Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| title_short | Simulating the processes controlling ice-shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| title_sort | simulating the processes controlling ice shelf rift paths using damage mechanics |
| topic | Antarctic glaciology glacier modeling glaciological model experiments iceberg calving ice shelves |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143023000710/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT alexhuth simulatingtheprocessescontrollingiceshelfriftpathsusingdamagemechanics AT ravindraduddu simulatingtheprocessescontrollingiceshelfriftpathsusingdamagemechanics AT benjaminsmith simulatingtheprocessescontrollingiceshelfriftpathsusingdamagemechanics AT olgasergienko simulatingtheprocessescontrollingiceshelfriftpathsusingdamagemechanics |