Article
Estimation of hydraulic properties of subglacial till from ploughmeter measurements
Journal of Glaciology
(1998)
Abstract
Force variations on a "ploughmeter" and fluctuations in subglacial water pressure have been measured in the same borehole at Storglaciaren, Sweden, to investigate hydraulic properties of the basal till layer. A strong inverse correlation of the pressure and force records, in conjunction with a significant lime lag between the two signals, suggests that pore-water pressures directly affect the strength of the till. Variations in sub-glacial water pressure result in potential gradients across the water till interlace at the bottom of the borehole that drive pressure waves downwards through the till layer when the borehole water level is high and back upwards when the water level is low. Analysis of the propagation velocity of this pressure wave indicates that the hydraulic diffusivity of Storglaciaren till is in the range 1.9−3.6 x 10−6m2s−1,in good agreement with estimates obtained in the laboratory. Hydraulic conductivity values associated with these diffusivities are between 10−9 and 10−8ms−1 and thus are well within the range of values for other glacial tills.
Disciplines
Publication Date
1998
DOI
10.3198/1998JoG44-148-517-468
Publisher Statement
Copyright International Glaciological Society 1998. Posted with permission.
Citation Information
Urs H. Fischer, Neal R. Iverson, Brian Hanson, Roger LeB. Hooke, et al.. "Estimation of hydraulic properties of subglacial till from ploughmeter measurements" Journal of Glaciology Vol. 44 Iss. 148 (1998) p. 517 - 522 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/neal-iverson/18/
Creative Commons license
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC_BY International License.