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The origin of supraglacial debris covers is often conceptualised as the formation of a surface lag by melt‐out of englacial debris from slow‐moving ice, where complexity arises from feedback between debris thickness and sub‐debris ice melt. Here, we examine the origin of a debris cover from the perspective of debris provenance and changing tributary supply in a high‐elevation compound valley glacier. Geochemical analysis of 11 major elements in 21 debris samples from six tributaries of Khumbu Glacier (Nepal) shows unambiguous statistical differentiation of debris sources reflecting lithological differences between tributary catchments. Twenty‐four samples from transects across the ablation area are partitioned according to their source areas using the FR2000 sediment unmixing model. We estimate the age of ice at each transect using a higher order ice flow model. The results show greater proportions of debris from lateral tributaries in downglacier locations that have experienced longer flowline histories. More recently, ice from the Main Himalayan Divide (Western Cwm) has become relatively more important. This suggests a change in the state of the lower glacier's structure depending on the relative ice discharges of lateral and divide sources. Ice flux from lower elevation tributaries was more important probably prior to a weakening of the Indian Summer Monsoon at around 1420 CE. The lower elevation tributaries lie within the range of late Holocene equilibrium line altitude variation and therefore respond most sensitively to climatic drivers of the glacier's flow structure. Negative glacier mass balance since around 1900 CE caused tributary glaciers to detach and high‐elevation catchments to re‐establish as the dominant ice source to Khumbu Glacier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debris that covers the ablation areas of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers contributes to the distinctive features and processes occurring both on and within such glaciers. Despite recent advances, knowledge of the subsurface environments of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers is still extremely limited. In particular, targeted field-based data are needed to parameterise and refine the projections of these glaciers in numerical models. Here, we outline the current understanding of the internal properties of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers based on direct field-based methods and suggest future research directions for field-based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is increasingly recognised as a valuable tool for glaciological seismic applications, although analysing the large data volumes generated in acquisitions poses computational challenges. We show the potential of active-source DAS to image and characterise subglacial sediment beneath a fast-flowing Greenlandic outlet glacier, estimating the thickness of sediment layers to be 20–30 m. However, the lack of subglacial velocity constraint limits the accuracy of this estimate. Constraint could be provided by analysing cryoseismic events in a counterpart 3-day record of passive seismicity through, for example, seismic tomography, but locating them within the 9 TB data volume is computationally inefficient. We describe experiments with data compression using the frequency-wavenumber (f-k) transform ahead of training a convolutional neural network, that provides a ~300-fold improvement in efficiency. In combining active and passive-source and our machine learning framework, the potential of large DAS datasets could be unlocked for a range of future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Characterising the structures within glaciers can give unique insight into ice motion processes. On debris-covered glaciers, traditional structural glaciological mapping is challenging because the lower glacier is hidden by the supraglacial debris layer. Here, we use high-resolution optical televiewer (OPTV) image logs from four boreholes drilled into Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, to overcome this limitation and investigate englacial structural features within a Himalayan debris-covered glacier. The OPTV logs show structural features that are up to an order of magnitude thinner than those observed at the glacier surface and reveal five structural units: (I) primary stratification of ice; (II) debris-rich planes that conform with the primary stratification; (III) water-healed crevasse traces; (IV) healed crevasse traces; and (V) steeply dipping planes of basally derived fine sediment near the glacier terminus. The OPTV logs also reveal that the primary stratification both decreases in dip with depth (by up to 56° over 20 m) and rotates with depth (by up to 100° over 20 m) towards parallelism with the proximal lateral moraine. This transformation and the presence of relict layers of basally derived sediment raised into an englacial position – possibly involving thrusting – near the glacier's now stagnant terminus reveal a previously more dynamic glacier regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meltwater routing through ice masses exerts a fundamental control over glacier dynamics and mass balance, and proglacial hydrology. However, despite recent advances in mapping drainage systems in cold, Arctic glaciers, direct observations of englacial channels and their flow conditions remain sparse. Here, using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) surveys of the main englacial channel of cold‐based Austre Brøggerbreen (Svalbard), we map and compare an entrance moulin reach (122 m long) and exit portal reach (273 m long). Analysis of channel planforms, longitudinal profiles, cross‐sections and morphological features reveals evidence of spatial variations in water flow conditions and channel incision mechanisms, and the presence of vadose, epiphreatic and phreatic conditions. The entrance reach, located at the base of a perennial moulin, was characterized by vadose, uniform, channel lowering at annual timescales, evidenced by longitudinal grooves, whereas the exit portal reach showed both epiphreatic and vadose conditions, along with upstream knickpoint migration at intra‐annual timescales. Fine‐scale features, including grooves and scallops, were readily quantified from the TLS point cloud, highlighting the capacity of the technique to inform palaeoflow conditions, and reveal how pulses of meltwater from rainfall events may adjust englacial conduit behaviour. With forecasts of increasing Arctic precipitation in the coming decades, and a progressively greater proportion of glaciers comprising cold ice, augmenting the current knowledge of englacial channel morphology is essential to constrain future glacier hydrological system change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The debris that covers the ablation areas of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers contributes to the distinctive features and processes occurring both on and within such glaciers. Despite recent advances, knowledge of the subsurface environments of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers is still extremely limited. In particular, targeted field-based data are needed to parameterise and refine the projections of these glaciers in numerical models. Here, we outline the current understanding of the internal properties of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers based on direct field-based methods and suggest future research directions for field-based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is increasingly recognised as a valuable tool for glaciological seismic applications, although analysing the large data volumes generated in acquisitions poses computational challenges. We show the potential of active-source DAS to image and characterise subglacial sediment beneath a fast-flowing Greenlandic outlet glacier, estimating the thickness of sediment layers to be 20–30 m. However, the lack of subglacial velocity constraint limits the accuracy of this estimate. Constraint could be provided by analysing cryoseismic events in a counterpart 3-day record of passive seismicity through, for example, seismic tomography, but locating them within the 9 TB data volume is computationally inefficient. We describe experiments with data compression using the frequency-wavenumber (f-k) transform ahead of training a convolutional neural network, that provides a ~300-fold improvement in efficiency. In combining active and passive-source and our machine learning framework, the potential of large DAS datasets could be unlocked for a range of future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subglacial hydrology modulates basal motion but remains poorly constrained, particularly for soft-bedded Greenlandic outlet glaciers. Here, we report detailed measurements of the response of subglacial water pressure to the connection and drainage of adjacent water-filled boreholes drilled through kilometre-thick ice on Sermeq Kujalleq (Store Glacier). These measurements provide evidence for gap opening at the ice-sediment interface, Darcian flow through the sediment layer, and the forcing of water pressure in hydraulically-isolated cavities by stress transfer. We observed a small pressure drop followed by a large pressure rise in response to the connection of an adjacent borehole, consistent with the propagation of a flexural wave within the ice and underlying deformable sediment. We interpret the delayed pressure rise as evidence of no pre-existing conduit and the progressive decrease in hydraulic transmissivity as the closure of a narrow (< 1.5 mm) gap opened at the ice-sediment interface, and a reversion to Darcian flow through the sediment layer with a hydraulic conductivity of ≤ 10−6 m s−1. We suggest that gap opening at the ice-sediment interface deserves further attention as it will occur naturally in response to the rapid pressurisation of water at the bed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamic response of large mountain glaciers to climatic forcing operates over timescales of several centuries and therefore understanding how these glaciers change requires observations of their behavior through the Holocene. We used Be‐10 exposure‐age dating and geomorphological mapping to constrain the evolution of glaciers in the Khumbu Valley in the Everest region of Nepal. Khumbu and Lobuche Glaciers are surrounded by high‐relief lateral and terminal moraines from which seven glacial stages were identified and dated to 7.4 ± 0.2, 5.0 ± 0.3, 3.9 ± 0.1, 2.8 ± 0.2, 1.3 ± 0.1, 0.9 ± 0.02, and 0.6 ± 0.16 ka. These stages correlate to each of the seven latest Holocene regional glacial stages identified across the monsoon‐influenced Himalaya, demonstrating that a coherent record of high elevation terrestrial palaeoclimate change can be extracted from dynamic mountain landscapes. The time‐constrained moraine complex represents a catchment‐wide denudation rate of 0.8–1.4 mm a−1 over the last 8 kyr. The geometry of the ablation area of Khumbu Glacier changed around 4 ka from a broad, shallow ice tongue to become narrower and thicker as restricted by the topographic barrier of the terminal moraine complex. Plain Language Summary: Satellite observations indicate that glaciers in the monsoon‐influenced Himalaya are changing rapidly in response to climate change. However, understanding why glaciers are changing requires observing glacier behavior over longer timescales using the glacial geological record. We mapped the geometry and measured the ages of ice‐marginal moraines built by two adjacent glaciers in the Everest region of Nepal. The moraines represent a complete record of glacier expansion during cold periods in the monsoon‐influenced Himalayan region over the last 8,000 years. Moraines formed by the large Khumbu Glacier and the smaller, steeper Lobuche Glacier also reveal differences in how these glaciers have changed since the last Ice Age. The results are useful to understand how monsoon‐influenced Himalayan glaciers respond to climate change, and to improve projections of their future behavior. Key Points: Ice‐marginal moraines in the upper Khumbu Valley represent a complete record of regional glacier change between 7.4 ka and the present dayMoraine building modified the response of Khumbu Glacier to climate change after 8 kaHolocene moraine volume indicates a catchment‐wide denudation rate of 0.8–1.4 mm per year [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained mass loss from Himalayan glaciers is causing supraglacial debris to expand and thicken, with the expectation that thicker debris will suppress ablation and extend glacier longevity. However, debris‐covered glaciers are losing mass at similar rates to clean‐ice glaciers in High Mountain Asia. This rapid mass loss is attributed to the combined effects of; (a) low or reversed mass balance gradients across debris‐covered glacier tongues, (b) differential ablation processes that locally enhance ablation within the debris‐covered section of the glacier, for example, at ice cliffs and supraglacial ponds, and (c) a decrease in ice flux from the accumulation area in response to climatic warming. Adding meter‐scale spatial variations in supraglacial debris thickness to an ice‐flow model of Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, increased mass loss by 47% relative to simulations assuming a continuous debris layer over a 31‐year period (1984–2015 CE) but overestimated the reduction in ice flux. Therefore, we investigated if simulating the effects of dynamic detachment of the upper active glacier from the debris‐covered tongue would give a better representation of glacier behavior, as suggested by observations of change in glacier dynamics and structure indicating that this process occurred during the last 100 years. Observed glacier change was reproduced more reliably in simulations of the active, rather than entire, glacier extent, indicating that Khumbu Glacier has passed a dynamic tipping point by dynamically detaching from the heavily debris‐covered tongue that contains 20% of the former ice volume. Plain Language Summary: Glaciers in the Himalaya are shrinking rapidly in response to ongoing climate change. Many of these glaciers are covered with thick layers of rock debris that insulate the ice surface from atmospheric warming. Recent observations suggest that, contrary to expectations, debris‐covered glaciers are losing mass at similar rates to clean‐ice glaciers. We explore the processes driving the rapid loss of ice from a debris‐covered glacier using a glacier model with a novel representation of sub‐debris melt. Our model shows that the rapid ice loss from Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, since 1984 cannot be explained solely by accounting for variations in debris thickness and the presence of ice cliffs and ponds across the glacier surface. Instead, the glacier has passed a dynamic tipping point in the last 100 years where the upper active glacier no longer provides ice to the stagnant debris‐covered tongue. We expect that Khumbu Glacier will pass another tipping point in the next 100 years and detach completely from the debris‐covered tongue at the base of the icefall as the active glacier shrinks in response to climate change. Key Points: Debris‐covered glaciers are losing mass at a similar rate to clean‐ice glaciers in High Mountain AsiaParameterizing differential ablation in an ice‐flow model increases net mass loss from Khumbu Glacier by 29%–47%Dynamic detachment of the upper active glacier from the stagnant debris‐covered tongue after 1900 CE could have accelerated recent mass loss [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a new technology in which seismic energy is detected, at high spatial and temporal resolution, using the propagation of laser pulses in a fiber‐optic cable. We show analyses from the first glaciological borehole DAS deployment to measure the englacial and subglacial seismic properties of Store Glacier, a fast‐flowing outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet. We record compressional and shear waves in 1,043 m‐deep vertical seismic profiles, sampled at 10 m vertical resolution, and detect a transition from isotropic to anisotropic ice at 84% of ice thickness, consistent with the Holocene‐Wisconsin transition. We identify subglacial reflections originating from the base of a 20 m‐thick layer of consolidated sediment and, from attenuation measurements, interpret temperate ice in the lowermost 100 m of the glacier. Our findings highlight the promising potential of DAS technology to constrain the seismic properties of glaciers and ice sheets. Plain Language Summary: Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a new technology for seismic surveying in which the transmission of light through fiber‐optic cables is used to record seismic energy, with unprecedented spatial resolution compared to traditional techniques. Our paper presents data from the first borehole‐glaciological deployment of DAS, in which fiber‐optic cable was installed in a 1,043 m‐deep vertical borehole on Store Glacier, a fast‐flowing outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The detailed seismic anatomy of the glacier that our survey provides—an independent measurement of the seismic response every 10 m—gives new insights about its internal flow regime and temperature and even allows us to detect layers of sediment underlying it. We predict that DAS surveying will play an increasingly large role in future glaciological investigations as the recognition of its promising potential grows. Key Points: Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) is a new technology for recording seismic data using laser pulses propagating in a fiber‐optic cableWe present the first borehole‐glaciological application of DAS, installing cable in a 1,043 m‐deep borehole on Greenland's Store GlacierWe evidence, at 10 m vertical resolution, anisotropic and temperate ice beyond ~880 m depth and ~20 m of consolidated subglacial sediment [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supraglacial lake drainage events influence Greenland Ice Sheet dynamics on hourly to interannual timescales. However, direct observations are rare, and, to date, no in situ studies exist from fast-flowing sectors of the ice sheet. Here, we present observations of a rapid lake drainage event at Store Glacier, west Greenland, in 2018. The drainage event transported 4.8 x 106 m³ of meltwater to the glacier bed in ~5 h, reducing the lake to a third of its original volume. During drainage, the local ice surface rose by 0.55 m, and surface velocity increased from 2.0 m⋅d-1 to 5.3 m⋅d-1. Dynamic responses were greatest ~4 km downstream from the lake, which we interpret as an area of transient water storage constrained by basal topography. Drainage initiated, without any precursory trigger, when the lake expanded and reactivated a preexisting fracture that had been responsible for a drainage event 1 y earlier. Since formation, this fracture had advected ~500 m from the lake's deepest point, meaning the lake did not fully drain. Partial drainage events have previously been assumed to occur slowly via lake overtopping, with a comparatively small dynamic influence. In contrast, our findings show that partial drainage events can be caused by hydrofracture, producing new hydrological connections that continue to concentrate the supply of surface meltwater to the bed of the ice sheet throughout the melt season. Our findings therefore indicate that the quantity and resultant dynamic influence of rapid lake drainages are likely being underestimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While hot-water drilling is a well-established technique used to access the subsurface of ice masses, drilling into high-elevation (≳ 4000 m a.s.l.) debris-covered glaciers faces specific challenges. First, restricted transport capacity limits individual equipment items to a volume and mass that can be slung by small helicopters. Second, low atmospheric oxygen and pressure reduces the effectiveness of combustion, limiting a system's ability to pump and heat water. Third, thick supraglacial debris, which is both highly uneven and unstable, inhibits direct access to the ice surface, hinders the manoeuvring of equipment and limits secure sites for equipment placement. Fourth, englacial debris can slow the drilling rate such that continued drilling becomes impracticable and/or boreholes deviate substantially from vertical. Because of these challenges, field-based englacial and subglacial data required to calibrate numerical models of high-elevation debris-covered glaciers are scarce or absent. Here, we summarise our experiences of hot-water drilling over two field seasons (2017–2018) at the debris-covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, where we melted 27 boreholes up to 192 m length, at elevations between 4900 and 5200 m a.s.l. We describe the drilling equipment and operation, evaluate the effectiveness of our approach and suggest equipment and methodological adaptations for future use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract While the supraglacial hydrology of debris-covered glaciers is relatively well studied, almost nothing is known about how water is transported beneath the glacier surface. Here, we report the results of sixteen fluorescent dye tracing experiments conducted in April–May 2018 over the lowermost 7 km of the high-elevation, debris-covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, to characterise the glacier's surface and subsurface drainage system. Dye breakthroughs indicated a likely highly sinuous and channelised subsurface hydrological system draining water from the upper part of the ablation area. This flowpath was distinct from the linked chain of supraglacial ponds present along much of the glacier's lower ablation area, through which water flow was extremely slow (∼0.003 m s−1), likely reflecting the study's timing during the pre-monsoon period. Subsurface drainage pathways emerged at the glacier surface close to the terminus, and flowed into small near-surface englacial reservoirs that typically delayed meltwater transit by several hours. We observed rapid pathway changes resulting from surface collapse, indicating a further distinctive aspect of the drainage of debris-covered glaciers. We conclude that the surface and subsurface drainage of Khumbu Glacier is both distinctive and dynamic, and argue that further investigation is needed to refine the characterisation and test its regional applicability to better understand future Himalayan debris-covered glacier meltwater delivery to downstream areas. Highlights • Dye tracing used to investigate hydrology of debris-covered Khumbu Glacier, Nepal. • A subsurface drainage system exists, and is likely highly sinuous and channelised. • The subsurface drainage system does not link to the chain of supraglacial ponds. • Flow through the pond chain is slow and comprises a small part of total discharge. • Rapid pathway changes are observed, resulting from variable surface lowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Although a substantial ice cover has been identified within the mid-latitudes of Mars, there is uncertainty regarding the formation, current and former volume, and dynamic evolution of these ice masses. Here, we present the first comprehensive ice volume estimate of martian glacier-like forms (GLFs) from systematic population scale mapping and volumetric analysis. The outlines of 1243 GLFs were manually delineated from 6 m per pixel Context Camera (CTX) images and the volume of each determined using a volume–area scaling approach. Our results show that GLFs cover a surface area of 11344 ± 393 km2 and have a total volume of 1744 ± 441 km3. Using two end-member scenarios for ice concentration by volume of 30% (pore ice) and 90% (debris-covered glacier ice), we calculate the volume of ice contained within GLFs to be between 523 ± 132 km3 (480 ± 121 Gt) and 1570 ± 397 km3 (1439 ± 364 Gt), equivalent to a mean global water layer 3 to 10 mm thick. We investigate the local topographic setting of each GLF by reference to the Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) digital elevation model. Our analysis reveals that globally GLFs are on average larger in latitudes >36° and on slopes between 2 and 8°. In the northern hemisphere GLFs between 500 and 2500 m in elevation and in the southern hemisphere GLFs with a northern aspect are also larger on average. The observed spatial patterns of GLF landform and volume distribution suggests that regional to local meteorological and topographical conditions play an important role in GLF ice accumulation and/or preservation. Assuming a net accumulation rate of 10 mm a−1 typical of climatic excursions with high obliquity, we estimate a period of at least 13 ka is required to yield the average calculated GLF ice thickness of ∼130 m. Such a period is well within the timeframe of a high obliquity cycle (20–40 ka), suggesting that the current GLF volume could have formed during a single climate excursion. Highlights • We present a complete inventory of martian glacier-like form (GLFs) outlines. • Martian GLFs cover 11344 ± 393 km2 and contain between 523 ± 132 km3 and 1570 ± 397 km3 of ice. • This ice volume corresponds to a global water layer 3 to 10 mm thick. • Local microclimates, as well as solar forcing, control GLF distribution and size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mars’ mid-latitude glacier-like forms (GLFs) have undergone substantial mass loss and recession since a hypothesised last martian glacial maximum (LMGM) stand. To date, there is a lack of knowledge of the nature and timing of the LMGM, the subsequent mass loss and whether this mass loss has been spatially variable. Here, we present the results of a population-scale inventory of recessional GLFs, derived from analysis of 1293 GLFs 3 3 In their inventory Souness et al. (2012) identified 1309 GLFs. We refine the number of GLFs to 1293, due to the identification of duplicate entries. identified within Context Camera (CTX) imagery, to assess the distribution and controls on GLF recession. A total of 436 GLFs were identified showing strong evidence of recession: 197 in the northern hemisphere and 239 in the southern hemisphere. Relative to their parent populations, recessional GLFs are over-represented in the low latitude belts between 25 and 40° and in areas of high relief, suggesting that these zones exert some control over GLF sensitivity and response to forcing. This analysis is complemented by the reconstruction of the maximum extent and morphology of a specific GLF for which High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) derived digital elevation data are available. Using Nye's (Nye, J.F. [1951] Proc. Roy. Soc. Lond, Ser. a—Mat. Phys. Sci., 207, 554–572) perfect plastic approximation of ice flow applied to multiple flow-lines under an optimum yield strength of 22 kPa, we calculate that the reconstructed GLF has lost an area of 6.86 km 2 with a corresponding volume loss of 0.31 km 3 since the LMGM. Assuming the loss reconstructed at this GLF occurred at all mid-latitude GLFs yields a total planetary ice loss from Mars’ GLFs of 135 km 3 , similar to the current ice volume in the European Alps on Earth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents and describes a glaciological and geomorphological map of Glacier Noir and Glacier Blanc, French Alps. Glacier Noir is a debris-covered glacier and is adjacent to Glacier Blanc, a clean-ice (debris-free) glacier. The glaciological and geomorphological evolution of Glacier Blanc is well known, but the evolution of Glacier Noir is poorly understood, as is the case for many debris-covered glaciers globally, despite their importance in a number of mountain ranges around the world (e.g. European and Southern Alps, the Himalayas and the Rockies). The accompanying map was created by manually digitising aerial ortho-images and historical georeferenced photographs from 1952 to 2013. The main glacial and geomorphological features of both glaciers were mapped, including debris cover, crevasses, moraines, hummocky terrain and scree areas. Hydrological features (supra- and pro-glacial streams and meltwater ponds) were also mapped. The map illustrates the key differences between Glacier Noir and Glacier Blanc, and is important for understanding future glaciological and geomorphological changes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Intense rainfall events significantly affect Alpine and Alaskan glaciers through enhanced melting, ice-flow acceleration and subglacial sediment erosion, yet their impact on the Greenland ice sheet has not been assessed. Here we present measurements of ice velocity, subglacial water pressure and meteorological variables from the western margin of the Greenland ice sheet during a week of warm, wet cyclonic weather in late August and early September 2011. We find that extreme surface runoff from melt and rainfall led to a widespread acceleration in ice flow that extended 140 km into the ice-sheet interior. We suggest that the late-season timing was critical in promoting rapid runoff across an extensive bare ice surface that overwhelmed a subglacial hydrological system in transition to a less-efficient winter mode. Reanalysis data reveal that similar cyclonic weather conditions prevailed across southern and western Greenland during this time, and we observe a corresponding ice-flow response at all land- and marine-terminating glaciers in these regions for which data are available. Given that the advection of warm, moist air masses and rainfall over Greenland is expected to become more frequent in the coming decades, our findings portend a previously unforeseen vulnerability of the Greenland ice sheet to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large numbers of small valley glaciers on Svalbard were thicker and more extensive during the Little Ice Age (LIA), demonstrated by prominent ice-cored moraines up to several kilometres beyond present-day margins. The majority of these glaciers have since experienced a long period of strongly negative mass balance during the 20th century and are now largely frozen to their beds, indicating they are likely to have undergone a thermal transition from a polythermal to a cold-based regime. We present evidence for such a switch by reconstructing the former flow dynamics and thermal regime of Tellbreen, a small cold-based valley glacier in central Spitsbergen, based on its basal sequence and glaciological structures. Within the basal sequence, the underlying matrix-supported diamict is interpreted as saturated subglacial traction till which has frozen at the bed, indicating that the thermal switch has resulted in a cessation of subglacial sediment deformation due to freezing of the former deforming layer. This is overlain by debris-poor dispersed facies ice, interpreted to have formed through strain-induced metamorphism of englacial ice. The sequential development of structures includes arcuate fracture traces, interpreted as shear planes formed in a compressive/transpressive stress regime; and fracture traces, interpreted as healed extensional crevasses. The formation of these sediment/ice facies and structures is indicative of dynamic, warm-based flow, most likely during the LIA when the glacier was significantly thicker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We present a stand-alone software platform, Borehole and Ice Feature Annotation Tool (BIFAT), for the examination, annotation and analysis of glacier borehole images. This tool aids in the lengthy and often subjective process of annotating layers and other features in optical and acoustic glacier borehole televiewer logs. Since these view 360° around the full circumference of an exploratory borehole, intersecting planes are reconstructed on the televiewer image as sinusoids, the amplitude and phase of which can be used to calculate, respectively, the dip and direction of dip of each of these planes. The program aids in the annotation and examination of such planes, as well as a number of other features, including clusters and inclusions. BIFAT also provides an automatic layer detection option to aid and speed up the often lengthy process of identifying planar features in glacier borehole images. The software also shows promising results in rock borehole images and in the detection of planar layers in line-scan ice core images. We describe the capability and operation of BIFAT, and illustrate its application with reference to the automatic identification and annotation of sections from an optical televiewer (OPTV) borehole log from Roi Baudouin, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. The software is freely available for download from http://users.aber.ac.uk/byh/iceoptv. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We describe and interpret the surface terrain types associated with a widely-reported ∼4km long, mid-latitude martian viscous flow feature (VFF). The feature is located in the southern hemisphere, on the poleward-facing rim of a ∼60km-diameter crater in eastern Hellas Planitia. High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images, analysed in both 2D and 3D, reveal that the upper margin of the feature is bounded by steep (∼30°) headwalls, typically some tens of metres high, that are formed from unconsolidated material and characterised by a series of slope–parallel linear incisions. Below these incised headwalls, the feature flows at a general angle of ∼10° from a broad upper basin to a confined lower tongue that is bounded by a nested sequence of elongate raised ridges. These characteristics are typical of several VFFs in the region and are strikingly similar to moraine-bounded valley glaciers on Earth, and we sub-classify this feature as a ‘glacier-like form’ (GLF) [1] This terminology contrasts slightly with Hartmann’s original usage in that we refer to the feature as a ‘form’ rather than a ‘flow’. This preference is based on several considerations, including that: (i) although inferred, flow has not yet been measured at such features, (ii) supplementary (basal) motion components cannot yet be ruled out, and (iii) the term ‘flow’ can refer to both a form and a process of ice-mass motion, which could lead to confusion. 1 . The GLF comprises five distinctive surface terrain types that contrast sharply with surface characteristics outside its bounding moraines. Four of these terrains (scaly terrain, polygonized terrain, linear terrain and mound-and-tail terrain) are located within the GLF’s innermost bounding moraine, while the fifth (rectilinear-ridge terrain) is located between its frontal moraines. These terrains are mapped, characterised and associated with possible mechanisms of formation to draw inferences about the GLF’s glaciology and glacial history. This analysis suggests that the GLF reached its maximal extent in the geologically-recent past, and that it may have been partially wet-based at that time. Subsequent to this phase, the GLF experienced an extended period of general recession that has been punctuated by several episodes of still-stand or advance. Currently, the GLF’s basin appears to be composed of a lower zone that is dominated by an exposed former glacier bed and an upper zone that may still contain a now-degraded and dust-mantled viscous mass, similar to many partially-glacierized basins on Earth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the study which evaluates the technique of Digital optical televiewing (OPTV) of the hot-water-drilled boreholes englacial ice and debris structures in the terminus region of midre Lovénbreen, Svalbard, Norway. It notes that the resulting OPTV logs successfully reveal several visually distinctive englacial ice properties and deformation structures It adds that the combination of the OPTV logs with surface mapping result in the identification of eight separate structural elements can be interpolated into grids with sediment layers intercalated in primary stratification.

The article reports on the study conducted by Douglas Mair and colleagues on the diurnal fluctuations in glacier ice deformation in Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland. Researchers measured surface velocity, ice deformation and proglacial stream discharge to determine diurnal patterns of variation. They analysed these data to understand better the relationship between hydraulically induced basal motion and glacier ice deformation over short timescales. Result reveals that the hydraulically induced localized basal slippery spots are created over diurnal cycles, thus causing enhanced basal motion and variable glacier speed-up.

Discusses the kinetics of solute acquisition from the dissolution of suspended sediment in subglacial channels. Calibration of a kinetic dissolution model; Insensitivity of a rate parameter to changes in specific surface area by water volume; Dominance of variability in initial concentration and ultimate steady-state concentration in the model.

The hydrological characteristics of debris-covered glaciers are known to be fundamentally different from those of clean-ice glaciers, even within the same climatological, geological, and geomorphological setting. Understanding how these characteristics influence the timing and magnitude of meltwater discharge is particularly important for regions where downstream communities rely on this resource for sanitation, irrigation, and hydropower, such as High Mountain Asia. The hydrology of debris-covered glaciers is complex: rugged surface topographies typically route meltwater through compound supraglacial-englacial systems involving both channels and ponds, as well as pathways that remain unknown. Low-gradient tongues that extend several kilometres retard water conveyance and promote englacial storage. Englacial conduits are frequently abandoned and reactivated as water supply changes, new lines of permeability are exploited, and drainage is captured due to high rates of surface and subsurface change. Seasonal influences, such as the monsoon, are superimposed on these distinctive characteristics, reorganising surface and subsurface drainage rapidly from one season to the next. Recent advances in understanding have mostly come from studies aimed at quantifying and describing supraglacial processes; little is known about the subsurface hydrology, particularly the nature (or even existence) of subglacial drainage. In this review, we consider in turn the supraglacial, englacial, subglacial, and proglacial hydrological domains of debris-covered glaciers in High Mountain Asia. We summarise different lines of evidence to establish the current state of knowledge and, in doing so, identify major knowledge gaps. Finally, we use this information to suggest six themes for future hydrological research at High Mountain Asian debris-covered glaciers in order to make timely long-term predictions of changes in the water they supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface crevassing is common on most of Earth's glaciers and particularly prevalent on fast-moving outlet glaciers characterised by high surface strain rates. As well as having implications for the mechanics of ice deformation and net strength, crevasses represent a means of transferring surface-generated meltwater and associated heat into the interior, and ultimately possibly to the base, of ice masses. Theoretically, surface crevasses are restricted to the uppermost tens of metres of an ice mass, but this can be extended by hydrofracturing where crevasses are water-filled. However, details - such as the locations of hydrofracturing both within a crevasse field and more locally within individual crevasses - are poorly understood such that vertical crevasse extent remains largely unconstrained. This knowledge gap mainly reflects the challenges associated with obtaining measurements of crevasse depth at glaciers, in terms of both obtaining direct access and geophysical imaging, especially of water-filled crevasses.Borehole optical televiewing (OPTV) records a high-resolution, geometrically-accurate image of the complete wall of any logged borehole, revealing the visible ice types and structures intercepted by that borehole. The technique therefore represents one means of investigating deep crevasses at ice masses, noting that such crevasses need to be inclined sufficiently to intersect an approximately vertical borehole. Here, we report evidence from a 325 m-long OPTV log of a borehole drilled ~30 km upglacier of the terminus of Store Glacier, a fast-moving tidewater glacier in west Greenland. While most structural features in the OPTV log are low-angle alternating decimetre-scale layers of clear ice and bubble-rich ice, interpreted as stratification, several high-angle features were also imaged. These were present to a depth of ~275 m and were typically centimetres to decimetres thick and composed of predominantly bubble-free ice. In one case, parallel crystal edges indicative of a directional freezing front were evident. Close inspection of the OPTV log also reveals that most of the high-angle layers enclosed one or more (and exceptionally, 11) structurally concordant millimetre-thick bubbly layers. We interpret the steeply-dipping layers as crevasses containing refrozen meltwater, and the fine bubbly layers as individual episodes of crevasse re-opening, refilling and refreezing – each expelling a new layer of gas as freezing completes. Implications for the transfer of mass and heat from the glacier's surface to its interior are explored by (i) comparing measured borehole temperatures with modelled englacial temperatures, and (ii) a spatial analysis of local surface crevassing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting the response of Earth's high-elevation debris-covered glaciers (HEDCGs) to anticipated climate change represents an important current research challenge. While 2D and 3D computer models of glacier motion and geometrical change are now highly sophisticated, their application to HEDCGs is hampered by a dearth of empirical information for model calibration and validation. This knowledge gap principally reflects logistical difficulties associated with carrying out research at such glaciers, particularly in terms of obtaining information relating to subsurface conditions and processes. Thus, key information that could be used to guide models such as englacial temperature fields, the occurrence and nature of glacier drainage, sediment incorporation and transfer, and 3D dynamic characteristics remain largely unknown.Here, we report on 27 boreholes drilled and instrumented at five sites across the debris-covered tongue of Khumbu Glacier, Nepal, for the EverDrill research project. We report on our drilling experiences, including challenges that were anticipated and encountered and the adaptations made to overcome them, and on the results of experiments undertaken in the boreholes. The latter includes measurements of ice temperature, ice deformation, and the glacier's englacial debris load. Temperatures were measured to be approaching melting point. Ice deformation was found to be low but variable. While the englacial ice contained surprisingly little distributed debris – allowing two boreholes to be drilled to greater than ~150 m - discrete shallow layers of impenetrable debris, interpreted to originate from valley-side avalanches, were encountered during drilling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice loss from the Greenland Ice Sheet is currently the single largest cryospheric contributor to global sea level rise. The two most significant factors influencing ice loss are the acceleration of fast-flowing, marine-terminating glaciers, and surface run-off, which has increased steadily over the last several decades. Since almost all water from the surface is routed to the bed, hydrological systems at the base of the glacier are inherently conditioned by surface processes. Unpicking the relationships between surface (melt)water input, basal hydrology, and ice velocity is therefore key to understanding the effects of global warming on the contribution of marine-terminating glaciers to global sea level rise.Passive seismology enables the continuous observation of a range of phenomena occurring within and underneath glaciers, such as icequakes, crevassing, and tremors associated with water transport. This technique is therefore ideally suited to studying the effects of variations in surface water input over the duration of a melt season. Over the course of two field campaigns in May and June–July 2018, a network of 12 near-surface and 3 deep borehole geophones was deployed on Store Glacier, a large marine-terminating glacier in West Greenland, as part of the multidisciplinary RESPONDER project. The stations have recorded continuously since early May, capturing a wide range of phenomena including the onset and duration of the surface melting season, regional earthquakes, impulsive microseismic activity, and the drainage of a supraglacial lake. Here, we present findings in the form of spectrograms and the locations of microseismic events recorded by the network. The spectrograms show a clear and sudden transition between relative seismic quiescence and increased mid–high frequency activity on 5 June, corresponding to the onset of significant surface melting. The seismic signatures of meteorological events such as prolonged rainfall are also captured in the spectrograms. This dataset is therefore uniquely suited to investigating links between the input of surface water, microseismicity and basal hydrology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]