Glaciers, ice shelves, snow fields and sea ice are subjected to stresses which are relieved by fissures and cracks called crevasses. Crevasses normally range from a few millimeters to 20 or more meters in width, several meters to several hundred meters in length, and up to 45 meters in depth. In cross section, crevasses are V-shaped and often bridged by snow which makes them difficult to see on the surface. Crevasses are an invaluable aid to glaciologists. Crevasse walls reveal the near-surface stratigraphy and structure of a glacier. Englacial temperatures and meltwater percolation characteristics are readily studied along crevasse walls. Patterns and types of crevasses indicate the mode of flow of a glacier.
Types of Crevasses
Crevasses are generally classified by their orientation with respect to the long axis of the glacier. Several types of crevasses (Fig. 1) are:
Plan view of a glacier showing several types of crevasses.
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References
Legally, M., 1929, Versuch einer Theorie der paltenbuldung in Gletschern, A. Gletscherk. Glazialgeol., 17, 285–301.
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Freers, T.F. (1968). Crevasse . In: Geomorphology. Encyclopedia of Earth Science. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-31060-6_74
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-31060-6_74
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