AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF STEP TOPOGRAPHY ON THE ICE SURFACE

• YOKOKAWA Miwa

  Faculty of Information Science and Technology, Osaka Institute of Technology

• IZUMI Norihiro

  Division of Field Engineering for the Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University

• NAITO Kensuke

  Division of Field Engineering for the Environment, Graduate School of Engineering, Hokkaido University

• YAMADA Tomohito

  Division of Field Engineering for the Environment, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University

• GREVE Ralf

  Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University

Bibliographic Information

Other Title

• 氷上のステップ地形に関する実験的研究

Abstract

The spiral troughs observed on the surface of Mars' north polar ice cap show upstream-migrating structures, which indicate that those may possibly be cyclic steps formed by a density current created by cooling of the atmosphere due to the ice. It can be useful to estimate the formative process of the Mars' polar ice cap and thus the climatic history of Mars using the analogues of cyclic steps on the Earth. In this study, we have performed a series of physical experiments aimed at the formation of cyclic steps on ice by flowing fluid. Temperature distribution plays a quite important role for the formation and development of step topography on the ice surface, and was set as ice ‹ fluid ‹ ambient air in this experiment. As a result, step topography was formed on the ice except the case whose Fr is lowest, i.e., 0.76, and the steps generally developed upstream direction. The results of the present experiment agree with the mathematical model describing the evolution of the ice surface by flowing fluid.

Journal

• Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser. B1 (Hydraulic Engineering)

  Journal of Japan Society of Civil Engineers, Ser. B1 (Hydraulic Engineering) 69 (4), I_1129-I_1134, 2013

  Japan Society of Civil Engineers

Keywords

• step topography
• ice surface
• flume experiments
• temperature distribution
• cyclic steps

Details

• CRID: 1390001205352267776
• NII Article ID: 130004558122
• DOI: 10.2208/jscejhe.69.i_1129
• ISSN: 2185467X
• Text Lang: ja
• Data Source:
  • JaLC
  • Crossref
  • CiNii Articles
• Abstract License Flag: Disallowed