IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/perpro/v19y2008i1p63-69.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Modelling of ice‐wedge networks

Author

Listed:
  • L. J. Plug
  • B. T. Werner

Abstract

The fundamental and dominant process operating in all ice‐wedge networks is thermal contraction fracturing. This assumption forms the basis of a numerical model combining fracture initiation and propagation in frozen ground and ice, influence of open fractures on stresses, growth of ice wedges and ground deformation above wedges (Plug and Werner, 2001, 2002). Modelled polygonal networks self‐organise through interactions between fractures, stress and re‐fracture in ice wedges. The resultant polygonal form feeds back on fracturing in individual ice wedges. Spacing, wedge width and fracture frequency in wedges do not reflect mean climate parameters, but instead are sensitive to infrequent climate events and initial conditions, and may vary even under stationary climate — meaning that ice‐wedge casts are difficult to use as estimators of past climate. Burn (2004) suggested that that some of the assumptions underlying the model are incorrect in that they either misrepresent field conditions or ignore crucial site‐specific factors. These criticisms misread and invert the goal of our work, shared in part by any modelling exercise or field investigation, which is to elucidate common, robust behaviours and characteristics across a range of sites rather than to reproduce or describe in precise terms a particular instance. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • L. J. Plug & B. T. Werner, 2008. "Modelling of ice‐wedge networks," Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 19(1), pages 63-69, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:perpro:v:19:y:2008:i:1:p:63-69
    DOI: 10.1002/ppp.604
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.604
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/ppp.604?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:perpro:v:19:y:2008:i:1:p:63-69. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://doi.org/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1530 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.