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Drag forces at the ice-sheet bed and resistance of hard-rock obstacles: the physics of glacial ripping

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 July 2022

Maarten Krabbendam*
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Edinburgh, UK
Fabio Dioguardi
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Edinburgh, UK
Christian Arnhardt
Affiliation:
British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham, UK
Sam Roberson
Affiliation:
Geological Survey of Northern Ireland, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Adrian M. Hall
Affiliation:
Department of Physical Geography, University of Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden Institute of Geography, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
*
Author for correspondence: M. Krabbendam, E-mail: mkrab@bgs.ac.uk
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Abstract

Glacial ripping involves glaciotectonic disintegration of rock hills and extensive removal of rock at the ice-sheet bed, triggered by hydraulic jacking caused by fluctuating water pressures. Evidence from eastern Sweden shows that glacial ripping caused significant subglacial erosion during the final deglaciation of the Fennoscandian ice sheet, distinct from abrasion and plucking (quarrying). Here we analyse the ice drag forces exerted onto rock obstacles at the base of an ice sheet, and the resisting forces of such rock obstacles: glaciotectonic disintegration requires that ice drag forces exceed the resisting forces of the rock obstacle. We consider rock obstacles of different sizes, shapes and fracture patterns, informed by natural examples from eastern Sweden. Our analysis shows that limited overpressure events, unfavourable fracture patterns, low-transmissivity fractures, slow ice and streamlined rock hamper rock hill disintegration. Conversely, under fast ice flow and fluctuating water pressures, disintegration is possible if the rock hill contains subhorizontal, transmissive fractures. Rock steps on previously smooth, abraded surfaces, caused by hydraulic jacking, also enhance drag forces and can cause disintegration of a rock hill. Glacial ripping is a physically plausible erosion mechanism, under realistic glaciological conditions prevalent near ice margins.

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Article
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
Copyright © British Geological Survey © UKRI, 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press
Figure 0

Fig. 1. Conceptual model for glacial ripping as a three-stage subglacial erosion mechanism – after Hall and others (2020). Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 1

Fig. 2. Field evidence for glacial ripping in eastern Sweden. (a) Dilated, jacked subhorizontal fracture (50 cm high) with sediment-fill in construction excavation, Forsmark nuclear power plant (Leijon, 2005; Figs 5-1). Photo: Göran Hansson. (b) Upward jacked block with rock step, disrupting the abraded surface; temporary excavation AFM 001364, Forsmark (Forssberg and others, 2007; fig. B5). (c) Small disintegrated roche moutonnée near Grindstugan, Uppsala county. (d) Part of top surface of the large, partially disintegrated roche moutonnée of Bodagrottorna, Gävleborg county. (e) Boulder spread of angular boulders. Gryttjen, Gävleborg county. (f) Aerial photo (© Lantmäteriet) of two small boulder spreads, showing <250 m transport in an SSE direction. Bodagrottorna disintegrated roche moutonnée to the NE. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 2

Fig. 3. Modelling scenarios 1–5: conceptual geometries; modelled geometries with some parameters indicated – see also Table 1. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 3

Table 1. Variables, constants and parameters used

Figure 4

Fig. 4. Principle of applying Stokes law for laminar flow around a sphere to a hemispherical obstacle: (a) laminar flow around a sphere and (b) hemispherical obstacle, in a half space, within a laminar flow field. Area of projected stoss side Ast and area of footprint of obstacle Axy are indicated. Direction of ice flow = x. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 5

Fig. 5. Drag forces Fd (solid lines) and resisting forces Fr (dashed lines) as a function of sliding velocity U, for a hemispherical obstacle without basal fracture, for obstacles with radii 1–5 m; Eqns (3) and (11). Intact rock strength τr taken at 20 MPa. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 6

Fig. 6. (a) Resisting forces (N) as a function of relative water pressure Pw/Pi, for hemispherical obstacles with radii 1–10 m; ice thickness 300 m; Eqn (15b). (b) Same as (a), but ice thickness is 600 m. (c) Lines of equal drag and resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding speed U and relative water pressure Pw/Pi, for hemispherical obstacles with radii 1–10 m; Eqn (21). Above the lines, blocks can move, below the lines, blocks cannot move. Box indicates realistic conditions, e.g. water pressure variations between 60 and 105%, and sliding speeds <300 m a−1. (d) Same as (c), for ice thickness 600 m. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 7

Fig. 7. (a) Resisting forces as a function of the proportion of basal footprint of hemisphere (radii 1–10 m) occupied by intact rock Ar/Axy, for Pw = Pi (flotation); Eqn (19b). Points are the maximum drag forces for sliding speeds of 300 m a−1. (b) Lines of equal drag and resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding speed U and relative water pressure Pw/Pi, for hemispherical obstacles with radii 1–10 m with 5% of footprint occupied by intact rock; Eqn (22). Above the lines, blocks can move. Box indicates realistic conditions. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 8

Fig. 8. Effect of limited transmissivity along basal fractures; ice thickness 300 m; hemispherical obstacle with r = 5. (a) Resisting force in N versus relative water pressure, with transmissivity factor Tj varying between 0.4 and 1; Eqn (16). (b) Lines where drag forces equal resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding speed U and relative water pressure Pw/Pi, for hemispherical obstacles with 5 m radius, with transmissivity factor Tj between 0.4 and 1; Eqn (21) with Tj, as per Eqn (16). Above the lines, blocks can move. Box indicates realistic conditions. Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 9

Fig. 9. (a) Drag forces (N) as a function of length of an elongate obstacle, for different relative water pressures; W = 5, H = 2 m, hi = 300 m, sliding velocity U = 200 m a−1; Eqn (10b). (b) Drag forces as a function of relative water pressure, for obstacles with different lengths; other conditions same as (a); Eqn (10b). (c) Resisting forces (dashed lines; Eqn (15c)) and drag forces (solid lines; Eqn (10b)) as a function of length of a rectangular obstacle (W = 5, H = 2 m), for different relative water pressures Pw/Pi; ice thickness 300 m; ice sliding velocity 200 m a−1. (d) Lines of equal drag and resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding speed U and relative water pressure Pw/Pi, for rectangular obstacles; Eqn (23). Above the lines, blocks can move. Box indicates realistic conditions. (e) Lines of equal drag and resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding speed U and obstacle length, for different relative water pressures Pw/Pi (0.8–1.05); Eqn (23). Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.

Figure 10

Fig. 10. (a) Drag forces (N) on a flat surface with a rock step, as a function of height of rock step Hs, for different ice velocities; Eqn (24). Width and height of blocks are 5 and 2 m; ice thickness = 300 m, Pw/Pi = 0.9. (b) Same as (a), with Pw/Pi = 1.02 (2% overpressure). (c) Lines of equal drag and resisting forces (Fd = Fr) as a function of sliding velocity and height of rock step, for different cumulative length of blocks, Pw/Pi = 0.9; Eqn (26). (d) Same as (c), with Pw/Pi = 1.02 (2% overpressure). Figure © Svensk Kärnbränslehantering. Reproduced with permission.