Subglacial braided channels as revealed in flume experiments
Participants:
Ginny Catania, University of Texas at Austin
Chris Paola, University of Minnestoa
Roger Hooke, University of Maine
Experiments conducted in a "sandbox"
sealed with a PLexiglass lid illustrate that intensely braided channels
can form in a pressurized system. High lateral pressure gradients in
the flume that vary in both direction and magnitude with time are
responsible for the unique channel patterns. These results are used in
comparisson with the drainage system beneath ice streams which have a
subglacial water system that is characterized by high water pressures
which allow for fast motion. I built my flume at the St. Anthony Falls
Hydraulic Lab.
I did a lot of experiments...
I also did a set of experiments without a lid and with a sloped box..
Published/presented results:
G. Catania, C. Paoloa, 1998, SUbglacial water flow beneath ice sheets; Observations from physical experiments, WAIS Chapman Conference, Orono, ME.
G. Catania and C. Paola, 2001, Braiding under glass, Geology, 29(3), 259-262.
I am forever working on a follow-up paper about scaling arguments to match these channels to those beneath ice streams...
I did a lot of experiments...
Published/presented results:
G. Catania, C. Paoloa, 1998, SUbglacial water flow beneath ice sheets; Observations from physical experiments, WAIS Chapman Conference, Orono, ME.
G. Catania and C. Paola, 2001, Braiding under glass, Geology, 29(3), 259-262.
I am forever working on a follow-up paper about scaling arguments to match these channels to those beneath ice streams...