Greg Gaston
Keywords: Electrical resistance imaging, ice cored moraines, rock glaciers, debris covered glaciers.
Abstract: “Ice Cored” moraines are common features near many alpine glaciers. The presence of subsurface ice in both recessional and lateral moraines is believed to be indicated by slopes steeper than would be expected from the normal angle of repose of unconsolidated glacial debris. The ‘ice core’ probably takes the form of discontinuous ice lenses that serve as structure holding the otherwise unconsolidated material in an oversteepened state. The work reported herein tested electrical resistance image tools to confirm the presence of ice in the lateral moraine of the Elliot glacier, Mt. Hood Oregon. The presence of what are believed to be discontinuous ice lenses in the lateral moraine is supported by the electrical resistance images. In addition, this tool was found to be potentially very useful in assessing the depth of debris cover for many ‘rock glaciers’.
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