basal sliding

views updated May 08 2018

basal sliding The process by which a temperate glacier moves over its bed. It involves three mechanisms: relatively rapid creep in the basal layers; pressure melting, whereby ice under pressure melts on the up-glacier side of a small obstacle and the released water freezes on the down-glacier side; and slippage over a layer of water at the bed.

basal sliding

views updated Jun 11 2018

basal sliding The process by which a temperate glacier moves over its bed. It involves three mechanisms: relatively rapid creep in the basal layers; pressure melting, whereby ice under pressure melts on the up-glacier side of a small obstacle and the released water freezes on the down-glacier side; and slippage over a layer of water at the bed.

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