Change of the ice rheology with climatic transitions – implication on ice flow modelling and dating of the EPICA Dome C core

Abstract

Abstract. The study of the distribution of the crystallographic orientations (the fabric) along ice cores supplies information on the past and current ice flows of ice-sheets. Beside the usually observed formation of a vertical single maximum fabric, the EPICA Dome Concordia ice core (EDC) shows an abrupt and unexpected strenghtening of its fabric during termination II around 1750 m depth. Such strengthenings were already observed for sites located on an ice-sheet. This suggests that horizontal shear could occur along the EDC core. Moreover, the change in the fabric leads to a modification of the viscosity between neighbouring ice layers. Through the use of an anisotropic ice flow model, we quantify the change in viscosity and investigate its implication on ice flow and dating.