An investigation into the feasibility of applying 3D geological modelling techniques to polar ice sheets

Due to their important role for understanding the previous and further development of earth’s climate, the structure and processes of polar ice sheets are subjects of high scientific interest. For the first time, a 3D model of internal ice layers of the Greenland Ice Sheet is proposed. It was created with the structural geologic software MOVE, using Radar Depth Sounder profiles of the catchment of Petermann Glacier, located in North-West Greenland. The model visualizes the large-scale folding of the ice layers and shows that basic geologic processes are mainly responsible for the creation of these cylindrical folds: The funnel-shaped channel of Petermann Glacier leads to compression across flow direction, while increasing ice velocity causes local tensile stress along flow. In deep ice layers, sheath folds are present. Due to decreasing ice velocity towards the bottom of the ice column, a strong shear stress acts on the ice layers, which leads to the formation of sheath folds