Prediction of Ice Layer Fractures

2008/12/02 Lakar Iraizoz, Oihane - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Hidrologia
• Ozeanografia

How do you know if you break the cup that is dropped below the table or bounces against the ground? It is not easy to answer this question, in general, the mechanical problems of fractures are very difficult. And that was what happened to those who wanted to know how the icebergs were formed, that is, they did not understand that the ice platforms were cracked and that the ice pieces that we call iceberg are released.

A team from the University of State of Pennsylvania, together with collaborators from five other institutions, has managed to solve this headache. It was suspected that the tendency to dispersion of ice platforms strongly influences cracks and has been able to confirm their suspicion.

Analyzing the previously published data and those collected by them, it is observed that the proposed hypothesis is correct. As an example, it was indicated that a narrow ice shelf trapped between the two ridges can hardly be swept and therefore suffers less cracks.

Image: Image: L. L. Padgham Padgham