Unconfined Creep of Polar Snow

Abstract

AbstractSnow samples from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole station and “Byrd” station, Antarctica, and “Camp Century”, Greenland were tested for creep under low stresses for various periods of time up to two years. Creep was analyzed as a function of density. Comparisons of compressive viscosities plotted against densities for all three sites showed three distinct regions representing three different mechanisms of densification.