Deformation of ice under high internal shear stresses

Abstract

By means of transparent plastic dies, cylindrical samples of single crystal and polycrystalline ice were extruded into rods of one quarter the original cross-section area. The deformation was carried out at −5 °C and a mean strain rate of about 10−2 s−1. With the aid of polarized light, the formation of cracks and the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization were studied. The experiments of Steinemann, and more recent results in metals suggest that, during such plastic flow, two types of dynamic recrystallization are involved. At low strain rates, the recrystallization is periodic, leading to rapid increases in strain rate at constant applied stress; at higher strain rates, the recrystallization is continuous and the strain rate is constant. The possibility that dynamic recrystallization of the periodic type is associated with glacier surges is discussed.