Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds

Abstract Tidal fluctuations at the grounding zones of marine‐terminating glaciers induce oscillations in effective pressure at the glacier bed, altering ice‐till coupling and glacial slip. Glaciers slipping atop deformable beds with oscillatory pressure fluctuations can generate a transient porewate...

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Main Authors: N. Morgan‐Witts, D. D. Hansen, L. K. Zoet, M. Haseloff
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-04-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113658
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author N. Morgan‐Witts
D. D. Hansen
L. K. Zoet
M. Haseloff
author_facet N. Morgan‐Witts
D. D. Hansen
L. K. Zoet
M. Haseloff
author_sort N. Morgan‐Witts
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Tidal fluctuations at the grounding zones of marine‐terminating glaciers induce oscillations in effective pressure at the glacier bed, altering ice‐till coupling and glacial slip. Glaciers slipping atop deformable beds with oscillatory pressure fluctuations can generate a transient porewater pressure feedback within the underlying till, affecting bed coupling and the yield stress of the till. The influence of this transient feedback can range from negligible to dominating glacier slip; however, little is known about the governing mechanics. We used a cryogenic ring shear device to simulate basal slip under oscillating pressure conditions with varying amplitudes to directly measure drag under transient forcing. We find a path dependence (hysteresis) within the shear stress–effective pressure relationship and a greater extent of deformation within till undergoing cyclic loading compared to static loading. Importantly, shear stress is greater when effective pressure is unloading, indicating potential stabilizing feedbacks during rising tides or anomalous fluid pressure spikes.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-04-01
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series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-fb6d30f74ee04710a78f660a562c5f752025-08-20T03:39:03ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-04-01528n/an/a10.1029/2024GL113658Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable BedsN. Morgan‐Witts0D. D. Hansen1L. K. Zoet2M. Haseloff3Department of Geoscience University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USADepartment of Geoscience University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USADepartment of Geoscience University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USADepartment of Geoscience University of Wisconsin‐Madison Madison WI USAAbstract Tidal fluctuations at the grounding zones of marine‐terminating glaciers induce oscillations in effective pressure at the glacier bed, altering ice‐till coupling and glacial slip. Glaciers slipping atop deformable beds with oscillatory pressure fluctuations can generate a transient porewater pressure feedback within the underlying till, affecting bed coupling and the yield stress of the till. The influence of this transient feedback can range from negligible to dominating glacier slip; however, little is known about the governing mechanics. We used a cryogenic ring shear device to simulate basal slip under oscillating pressure conditions with varying amplitudes to directly measure drag under transient forcing. We find a path dependence (hysteresis) within the shear stress–effective pressure relationship and a greater extent of deformation within till undergoing cyclic loading compared to static loading. Importantly, shear stress is greater when effective pressure is unloading, indicating potential stabilizing feedbacks during rising tides or anomalous fluid pressure spikes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113658till deformationsediment deformationcyclic loadingbasal slipsubglacialhysteresis
spellingShingle N. Morgan‐Witts
D. D. Hansen
L. K. Zoet
M. Haseloff
Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
Geophysical Research Letters
till deformation
sediment deformation
cyclic loading
basal slip
subglacial
hysteresis
title Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
title_full Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
title_fullStr Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
title_full_unstemmed Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
title_short Cyclic Effective Pressure Loading Impacts Glacial Slip Over Deformable Beds
title_sort cyclic effective pressure loading impacts glacial slip over deformable beds
topic till deformation
sediment deformation
cyclic loading
basal slip
subglacial
hysteresis
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL113658
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AT lkzoet cycliceffectivepressureloadingimpactsglacialslipoverdeformablebeds
AT mhaseloff cycliceffectivepressureloadingimpactsglacialslipoverdeformablebeds