Articles | Volume 18, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1053-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-18-1053-2024
© Author(s) 2024. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
05 Mar 2024
Research article |
| 05 Mar 2024
| 05 Mar 2024
Grain growth of ice doped with soluble impurities
Qinyu Wang
Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
Sheng Fan
Department of Geology, University of Otago, Ōtepoti / Dunedin, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
RSC, Te Whanganui-a-Tara / Wellington, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Key Laboratory of Earth and Planetary Physics, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
College of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 101408, China
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Ice often exhibits a single-cluster fabric when deformed to high strains in glaciers and ice sheets. Using the equal-channel angular pressing technique, we achieved high shear strains in laboratory experiments and examined the fabrics. We investigated the evolutions of fabric and recrystallization mechanisms with strain. The results suggest that rotation recrystallization dominates fabric development when ice is deformed to high strains, explaining the fabrics found in natural ice.
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Ice crystal alignment in the sheared margins of fast-flowing polar ice is important as it may control the ice sheet flow rate, from land to the ocean. Sampling shear margins is difficult because of logistical and safety considerations. We show that crystal alignments in a glacier shear margin in Antarctica can be measured using sound waves. Results from a seismic experiment on the 50 m scale and from ultrasonic experiments on the decimetre scale match ice crystal measurements from an ice core.
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Short summary
We explored how the grain size of polycrystalline ice is affected by soluble impurities by conducting experiments on ice-containing salts. Results showed that above/below the eutectic point, impurities enhance/hinder grain growth, due to production of melts/precipitation of salt hydrates. Our findings offer insights into the dynamics of natural ice masses.
We explored how the grain size of polycrystalline ice is affected by soluble impurities by...
