Vertical Distribution of Velocity in Salmon Glacier, British Columbia

Abstract

Observations have been made in one of several deep holes drilled in Salmon Glacier in the course of mining development. Surveys, particularly of the displacement of a 481.5 m. length of pipe in this hole over a 94 day period, show movement diminishing downward from a maximum value of 0.225 m./day at the surface, through a slightly lower value at mid depth to 45 per cent of this value at the bottom of the pipe. By extrapolation movement on the glacier floor, 490 m. below the surface, is believed to be about 44 per cent of the surface rate. The data closely approximate Nye’s (1952) theoretical formula for laminar flow: in which u ₀=78 m./yr., α=2°00′, n=2.8 and K=1.25×10⁻⁴. Maximum shear stress at the glacier floor is calculated to be about 1.42 bars.