Collaborative Research: In Situ Borehole Measurements To Partition The Velocity Of The Greenland Ice Sheet Into Ice Deformation And Basal Sliding Components

Sliding of an ice mass along its basal boundary is a fundamental component of motion where bed conditions are wet. Estimates of basal sliding generally result from an inverse analysis of observed surface motion using a model assuming Glen's generalized constitutive law for isotropic ice. Evidence suggests that this law does not adequately represent ice deformation, due to a variety of issues including ice thermal variations, preferred fabric, and chemical impurities in the ice. The PIs will use an innovative experimental design to improve our understanding of the ice deformation and sliding. A grid of 9 boreholes, each approximately 750 m in depth and extending to the bed, will be drilled through the Greenland Ice Sheet and instrumented with more than 675 sensors to observe ice temperature, ice deformation, and basal sliding. Analysis of the resulting data set will yield the full 3D velocity field and full stress and strain rate tensors for a 420x106 m3 block of ice. The results will be used to assess and improve the constitutive law and will provide a data set for testing inversion methodologies. The Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets contain enough water to cause massive inundation of heavily populated coastal regions and associated infrastructure, if they were to degrade significantly through melting or delivery of icebergs to the coastal ocean. Our ability to predict future sea level rise is hampered by an inability to accurately model glacier dynamics that connect these ice sheets to the ocean. This project will provide data sets and consequent insight into processes that will lead to improved models of glacier dynamics.