Subglacial source of meltwater discharge in an emerging ice-marginal channel, Bering Glacier, Alaska
- State Univ. of New York, Oneonta, NY (United States). Dept. of Earth Sciences
The retreating eastern margin of Bering Piedmont Glacier terminates in two ice-contact lakes separated by an island that has been uncovered in the last decade. A semi-continuous aerial photo record (1978--1991) and field observations (1992) confirms a newly-developed ice-marginal channel linking these two lakes that is fed by a persistent subglacial conduit system. This investigation documents channel characteristic, discharge, turbidity, water temperature and the location of the present ice margin. Bathymetry along the channel reveals a highly irregular profile consisting of low-gradient reaches 3--5 m deep interrupted by shallow sills (< 1 m) of grounded, subaqueous ice and a 40 m basin among ice islands. Channel dimensions measured in 5 cross section reveal abrupt, small-scale changes typical of sub-bottom ice. Discharge varies from 72.24 cms near a node of upwelling to 40.38 cms 2 km down stream, then back up to 42.25 cms within 0.4 km, where the channel enters a lake. Turbidity values between 1.67 g/l and 4.20 g/l, of 10 water samples vary irregularly along the channel and with depth at-a-station. Early July water temperatures from 7 widely-spaced locations indicate the thermocline occurs at depths from 1 to 3 m and separates surface water at +1.1 C from supercooled water at [minus]1.0 C. Clusters of in situ platy frazil ice crystals several centimeters in diameter were observed on floating ice in the area of upwelling supercooled water. The presence of upwelling, highly-turbid, supercooled water indicates that the primary meltwater source is a subglacial conduit network at the ice margin, from which flow separates and discharges through a leaky channel into both lakes.
- OSTI ID:
- 5814320
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9303211-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 25:2; Conference: 28. annual Geological Society of America (GSA) Northeastern Section meeting, Burlington, VT (United States), 22-24 Mar 1993; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
58 GEOSCIENCES
ALASKA
LAKES
HYDROLOGY
SITE CHARACTERIZATION
AERIAL MONITORING
GEOMORPHOLOGY
GLACIERS
MELTING
TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT
TURBIDITY
WATER CHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGY
MONITORING
NORTH AMERICA
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
SURFACE WATERS
USA
540350* - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
580000 - Geosciences