Name: Andrew J. Elmore
PHYS 593 faculty mentor: Dr. Arnold Tubis (PHYS) and Dr. Jon Harbor (EAS)

Title of Project: Ablation Patterns on a Debris Covered Glacier: Haut Glacier d'Arolla

Abstract of Project

There has been much speculation on the variability in formation of rock "tables" on the surface of glaciers. Rocks deposited on a glacial surface have been observed to melt into the ice or protect the ice, thus forming a rock table. The characteristics of the rock and ice that determine which of these results will occur may include ice density, ice purity, rock thermal properties, and rock size. A statistical study of the dependence on these variables of the formation of Ice tables was performed. Preliminary results indicate that a critical set of rock characteristics can be used to predict whether a rock will protect or melt the glacial surface.