An Excel (TM) spreadsheet program for reconstructing the surface profile of former mountain glaciers and ice caps

Douglas I. Benn, Nicholas R. J. Hulton

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

A new Excel (TM) spreadsheet program is introduced, which calculates the surface profiles of former glaciers using an exact solution of a 'perfectly plastic' glacier model. Two versions of the model are presented. The basic model requires only bed topography along a flowline and a yield stress for ice as inputs. The latter can be tuned using 'target ice elevations' derived from geomorphological mapping. A more sophisticated form of the model allows the yield stress to vary along the flowline, and incorporates the effect of valley-side drag on the glacier profile. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)605-610
Number of pages6
JournalComputers and Geosciences
Volume36
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2010

Keywords

  • Glacier reconstruction
  • Ice sheet surface
  • Shape factor
  • EQUILIBRIUM-LINE ALTITUDES
  • BALANCE
  • CLIMATE
  • NORWAY

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