BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:On the Formation and Evolution of Rifts in Ice Shelves - Roiy Saya
 g (Ben-Gurion University)
DTSTART:20171204T143000Z
DTEND:20171204T153000Z
UID:TALK96040@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:INI IT
DESCRIPTION:Rifts that form at the fronts of floating ice shelves are frac
 tures that cut through the entire thickness of the ice. They are believed 
 to be the precursor of calving\, which accounts for a significant part in 
 the mass loss of present ice sheets. Here we investigate the formation of 
 rifts in ice shelves and their evolution by combining laboratory-scale exp
 eriments of ice sheets together with theoretical modeling. Experimentally 
 we model the deformation of ice using a thin film of non-Newtonian fluid t
 hat is driven axisymmetrically by buoyancy. The viscous fluid intrudes a b
 ath of an inviscid\, denser fluid that represents the ocean. Consequently\
 , the circular symmetry of the propagating front breaks up near the ground
 ing line into a set of tongues with a characteristic wavelength that coars
 ens over time\, a pattern that is reminiscent of some ice rifts. Theoretic
 ally\, we model the formation of rifts as a hydrodynamic instability of a 
 power-law fluid. Our model resolves the formation of rifts and the coarsen
 ing of the characteristic wavelength\, and predicts coarsening transition 
 times that are consistent with our experimental measurements. We discuss t
 he instability mechanism and its implications.
LOCATION:Seminar Room 1\, Newton Institute
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR