A numerical model for meltwater channel evolution in glaciers

Meltwater channels form an integral part of the hydrological system of a glacier. Better understanding of how meltwater channels develop and evolve is required to fully comprehend supraglacial and englacial meltwater drainage. Incision of supraglacial stream channels and subsequent roof closure by ice deformation has been proposed in recent literature as a possible englacial conduit formation process. Field evidence for supraglacial stream incision has been found in Svalbard and Nepal. In Iceland, where volcanic activity provides meltwater with temperatures above 0 °C, rapid enlargement of supraglacial channels has been observed. By coupling, for the first time, a numerical ice dynamic model to a hydraulic model which includes heat transfer, we investigate the evolution of meltwater channels and their incision behaviour. We present results for different, constant meltwater fluxes, different channel slopes, different meltwater temperatures as well as temporal variations in meltwater flux. The key parameters governing incision rate and depth are the channel slope and the meltwater temperature loss to the ice. Meltwater flux controls channel width and to a lesser degree incision behaviour. Calculated Nusselt numbers suggest that turbulent forced convection is the main heat transfer mechanism in the studied meltwater channels.