Citation
Calving Processes and the Dynamics of Calving Glaciers
TL;DR
Ice tensile strength threshold: 1-3 MPa
Comprehensive scientific review of fracture mechanics and stress thresholds in glacier calving. Provides the technical foundation for understanding how tensile stress (~1-3 MPa) leads to crack initiation and propagation, and why calving events follow a power law size-frequency distribution.
Key Findings from Benn & al. (2007)
- Ice tensile strength threshold: 1-3 MPa
- Crack propagation speed: meters per second through ice
- Positive feedback: crack opening → more stress → faster opening
- Power law distribution: many small events, few large events