The longitudinal component of the velocity of a particle at or near a glacier surface is considered, its position as a function of time being termed its trajectory. Functional relationships are derived for obtaining the trajectory from the spatial distribution of velocity and for obtaining the velocity distribution from the trajectory. It is established that the trajectory end-points impose only an integral condition on the velocity distribution, and that no individual point on the velocity distribution can be determined if only the end-points are known. An example is given of a deduced velocity distribution that is consistent with (although not uniquely determined by) the end-points of several trajectories on the lower reach of Columbia Glacier, Alaska. It is shown that constructing a velocity distribution by assigning the average trajectory velocity to the trajectory mid-point can be subject to errors of several per cent for velocity distribution features that are typical of actual glaciers. The error in this method is determined, and closed-form expressions for the trajectory are obtained, for linear velocity distributions and for two classes of second-degree distributions. The class of functions is identified to which the velocity distribution must belong for this error to be zero.

It is argued that in temperate mountain glaciers, waterways are subglacial. It is shown that the theory of Spring and Hutter (1981) for intraglacial flooded conduits leads to an equation for the grade line which differs from Röthlisberger’s (1972) only by negligible terms, and a slight modification of the exponent of the discharge. For a subglacial flooded waterway two important processes should instead be introduced: the enhancement of plastic deformation on the up-stream side of bumps, and the heat afforded by ground water (which in winter accounts for most of the discharge). The theory modified in this way explains why Röthlisberger had to adopt an unrealistic value for the rheological parameter of ice. It leads to the conclusion that in areas which are not overdeepened, most of the year subglacial waterways should remain not flooded and at atmospheric pressure. The case of overdeepening is examined. Finally the implications of this new model for glacier sliding theory are demonstrated.

To clear up the changes which had happened at the subglacial catchment of glacier d’Argentière, an extensive study, with 31 borings and a coring down to the bottom (240 m) was performed in 1979/80, just upstream from the catchment, in an overdeepened area. The behaviour of the water level during boring with a hot water jet, and just after, was different from one bore hole to another, mainly because transient leaks appeared in the walls of bore holes. Next, the water level fluctuated slowly, in the same way in most of the deep bore holes, showing that glacier ice below about 100 m deep is slightly pervious. What is so measured is the pore pressure of water in deep ice. The piezometric gradient between bore holes, and the time lag between fluctuations of water level, which increases with distance from the right bank, shows that there is no waterway at the bottom of the overdeepened area, save at its up-stream end. Most of the melt water must flow between ice and rock along the right bank, its free surface rising by about 150 m during the increased discharge in June. No clear-cut correlation between the bottom pore pressure and the air temperature or the discharge at the subglacial catchment down-stream was found.

Mean multi-year values of the components of external mass and energy exchange in the ice sheet, moisture, radiation, and heat balances in the system Antarctic ice sheet/atmosphere have been estimated by various methods.

The major features of the above-mentioned balances have been determined as absolute and relative values. For the moisture balance, income of advective moisture is equal to 100%; loss due to accumulation of moisture in the ice sheet is 83%, due to sink into the atmosphere is 15%, and sink from the ice sheet surface is 2%. As for the radiation balance it has been found that income due to radiation at the top of the atmosphere and absorbed by the atmosphere long-wave radiation are 57% and 43%, respectively; loss due to reflected short-wave radiation is 35%, atmospheric long-wave radiation is 78%, and net outgoing radiation from the surface is 9%. Heat budget components have been found as follows: income due to absorbed short-wave radiation is 49%, advection of heat is 40%, and latent heat from phase transition of advective moisture is 11%; loss due to outgoing long-wave radiation is 98%, heat from phase transition of atmospheric moisture is 2%.

The Antarctic ice sheet is a vast area of heat sink. Constant negative surface radiation balance and low temperature of the ice sheet suggest that the latter will exist at any small amount of precipitation and, therefore, current glaciation of Antarctica is rather stable.

The relationship between supraglacial lateral moraines and lateral dump moraines at Arolla. Switzerland, is discussed. A detailed study of the lateral moraines of glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve reveals their complex form (as superimposed and nested ridges) and the current mode of development (possibly related to the passage of a kinematic wave). Sedimentological analysis indicates that much of the constituent debris is of supraglacial origin; it is transported either directly from the base of slopes flanking the Pigne d’Arolla ice-fall or via englacial septa comprising marginal sediment incorporated in the accumulation zone. A calculation of the volume of debris in the lateral moraines suggests that glacier de Tsidjiore Nouve has recently been more active in transporting and depositing supraglacial debris than in glacial erosion sensu stricto.

In a snow pit, incorporating about 2.5 a of accumulation, on the 4 450 m high Colle Gnifetti, Monte Rosa, various snow characteristics, isotopes (δ18O, 3H), electrical conductivity, dust, trace elements, and pollen were investigated. The aim of this study was to develop a key for the stratigraphic interpretation of cores from cold, high-alpine firn areas. It appears that the strong influence of wind results in mixing and re-sedimentation processes in the surface layers. Nevertheless, by interpreting several parameters in a combined way, it is possible to classify a large number of the layers according to their season and sometimes to their place of origin. Apart from the melt layers, which only appear in early summer to summer layers, other prominent features are the (Saharan) dust falls, characterized by dust and conductivity peaks.

Eight submarine ice cliffs have been observed on the west side of McMurdo Sound. Three of these cliffs (Miers Valley, Cape Chocolate, and Strand Moraines) are associated with known ice-cored moraines and are justifiably regarded as underwater exposures of ice cores in the adjacent coast. The ice cliffs at Explorers Cove and near Herbertson Glacier may also be underwater exposures of ice cores which may be present in adjacent moraines. Some of these ice cliffs may represent unusual submarine accretionary sea-ice structures.

The paper of which this is an extended abstract reviews theoretical formulations for flow and airborne powder-snow avalanches. First powder-snow avalanches are considered as plane turbulent gravity currents. Then we propose a two-phase model describing powder-snow avalanches as turbulent binary mixtures of snow granules and air. An analogy is postulated between flow avalanches and the rapid shear flow of granular materials which leads to a non-polar continuum with microstructure taking into account the fluctuation energy of the snow granules.

Dual frequency (X-band and L-band) synthetic-aperture radar imagery of sea ice is examined to show the differences between the bands and their complementary nature for resolving ambiguities in interpretation. High backscatter at X-band from visibly smooth thin ice is not observed at L-band. One hypothesis is that the high X-band backscatter may be caused by a reflective layer at the snow/ice interface. A second hypothesis is that the high X-band backscatter may be caused by moisture in the snow. A third hypothesis states that the phenomenon may be due to snow flowers. High backscatter at L-band is observed for slush on open water. The return is very weak at X-band, thus allowing distinction of slush by comparing L-band and X-band images. High intensity, but only partial returns from icebergs at L-band have been observed. The hypothesis is that internal iceberg/sea-water reflections are occurring. Some signals are directed away from the antenna, other reinforced signals are returned, producing very bright images. Occasionally, time-delayed signals are returned causing a false image at far range from the iceberg. The conclusion is that L-band is a poor choice for studies of iceberg distribution and size, but a good choice for iceberg detection because of the high reinforced returns from many icebergs and the low return from the adjacent sea ice. The penetration and subsequent signal loss of L-band in glacial ice, when compared to high X-band returns, may be useful to map glacierized land masses.

Measured spectral reflectances of new and moderately metamorphosed snow were generally >80% from 340–950 nm. From 950–1 100 nm a characteristic dip and rise of spectral reflectances occurred. One spectroradiometer scan over a deteriorated snow patch showed much lower spectral reflectances than fresh snow, but the shape of the curve remained similar to that of fresher snow. Spectral reflectances for clear ice contrasted sharply with those for snow. In general, values were <10% and the curves lacked distinctive shape. Higher spectral reflectances, due to “lighter”-appearing ice in the measurement area, were measured at some sites. Refrozen slush, pancake, brash, and slush curd ice revealed spectral reflectance curves similar in form to each other, but which varied significantly in the range of spectral reflectances for each ice type. Generally, reflectances rose slowly from 340 nm to a peak near 550 nm. From 550–775 nm reflectances decreased slowly but significantly. A slight dip and rise in reflectances occured from 775–850 nm after which values again dipped significantly (850–900 nm). From 950–1 100 nm, a dip and rise in reflectances similar to that for snow was observed. The amount of slush included seems to control the reflectances of these ice types. All measurements were acquired with a pair of scanning spectroradiometers having picowatt accuracy, adapted to obtain, automatically, simultaneous readings of incident and reflected radiation from 340–1 100 nm. The spectroradiometers were field-calibrated using Sun-plus-sky radiation as a calibration source.

Equations are developed that can be used to determine the amount of gas present in sea ice from measurements of the bulk ice density, salinity, and temperature in the temperature range of −2 to −30 °C. Conversely these relationships can be used to give the density of sea ice as a function of its temperature and salinity, considering both the presence of gas and of solid salts in the ice. Equations are also given that allow the calculation of the gas and brine volumes in the ice at temperatures other than that at which the bulk density was determined.

Sorted patterned ground refers to polygons, nets, or stripes defined by rocky borders which are the result of sorting in soil subjected to frost action. This paper presents a model in which convection cells, driven by unstable density stratification in the aqueous phase, result in uneven melting of the underlying ice front during thawing. The resulting undulatory ice front with regularly spaced peaks and troughs provides the pattern which results in the regularity observed for certain types of patterned ground. In addition, the model predicts the width to depth-of-sorting ratio for both polygons and stripes, and explains the characteristic hexagonal shape of sorted polygons, the transition from sorted polygons to sorted stripes on sloped terrain, and the formation of sorted polygons under water. The predicted ratio of width to depth-of-sorting of 3.81 for sorted polygons is compared with the ratio of width to depth-of-sorting of 3.57 found from a linear regression analysis of 18 field study data.

Lake wander is described as a new mechanism for surface lowering of ice-cored moraines. Evidence is provided from Flanders Moraine, Vestfold Hills, Antarctica (lat. 68° 38’ S., long. 78° 12’ E.). Lakes wander when steep ice scarps retreat due to collapse and melt. Rates of wander are c. 1.3 m year−1. Rates of lowering due to lake wander on Flanders Moraine are c. 0.05 m year−1, which is comparable to rates from elsewhere attributed to different processes.

Palaeoglacial evidence at three sites in southern Victoria Land has been examined to consider the possible uplift of the Transantarctic Mountains through the East Antarctic ice sheet prior to the Middle Miocene. A Cenozoic tillite at Mount Feather and a striated pavement at Mount Brooke pre-date uplift. Another tillite remnant adjacent to Odell Glacier near Mount Brooke post-dates the uplift and is locally derived. This tillite, together with the Mount Feather tillite, has been previously placed in the Sirius Formation, a term that the authors abandon as it covers tillites of varying ages. Basement complex derived clasts in the Mount Feather tillite. previously reported by these authors, could be inherited from the Jurassic Mawson Formation or the Permian Metschel Tillite but they still provide evidence that the Mount Feather tillite was deposited by a regional glaciation.

The commonly used maximum speed and run-out equations for flowing avalanches given by Voellmy’s (1955) method are considered from a more general model proposed by Perla and others. (1980). Equations analogous to those of Voellmy are derived and the approximations are defined from the point of view of the more general model.