Simple analytical models of glacier-climate interactions - by Prof. J ...

From the foregoing analysis it is clear that the bed slope is a very important parameter.
For smaller slopes (ice sheets / ice caps) nonlinear effects are more important than for
larger slopes (valley glaciers). To classify glacier beds with a characteristic slope only
provides not mroe than a schematic picture, of course. Nevertheless, it is instructive to
compae curves for different slopes and to speculate how existing glaciers and ice caps
might fit in (see Fig. 6.2).
Fig. 6.2
1 10 6
s=0.006
8 10 5
L (m)
6 10 5
4 10 5
• Greenland
2 10 5
0
s=0.02
s=0.1 Aletschgl.
Vatnajökull
•
-1000 -750 -500 -250 0 250 500 750
E' (m)
22