Development of a Differential Frost Heave Model: Application to Patterned Ground Formation

该奖项支持一个项目，该项目将预测冻胀模型扩展到完整的3-D形式，以努力更好地了解冰川周围环境中发生的有图案的地面(如地球丘陵)的开发过程。在19种被认为对形成花纹地面很重要的机制中，无论是单独的还是组合的，只有两种机制被纳入了数学模型。这项工作的目标是：1)使用已公布的实验室冻胀数据来测试O Neill和Miller的一维二次冻胀模型的简化形式，该简化形式可以推广到三维；2)确定基于O Neill和Miller模型的简化形式的新的差分式冻胀模型描述其相关特性的能力；3)根据实验室和现场观测改进该差分式冻胀模型；以及4)探索该模型对描述其他形式的花纹地面特征的适用性。除了改进冰缘过程的模型外，这项工作还将有利于研究人员将古代地貌特征与过去的气候相关联，以及开发冰缘地区建筑项目的工程师。

This award supports a project to extend predictive frost heave models to full 3-D forms in an effort to better understand the processes involved in development of patterned ground, such as earth hummocks, that occurs in periglacial environments. Of the 19 mechanisms thought to be important, either singly or in combination, for formation of patterned ground, only two have been incorporated into mathematical models. The objectives of this work are: 1) to use published laboratory frost-heave data to test a simplified form of the 1-D secondary frost-heave model of O Neill and Miller which can be generalized to 3-D; 2) to ascertain the ability of a new differential frost-heave model based on this simplified form of the O Neill and Miller model to describe earth hummocks whose relevant properties have been characterized; 3) to refine this differential frost-heave model based on the laboratory and field observations; and 4) to explore the applicability of this model to describe features of other forms of patterned ground. In addition to improving models of periglacial processes, this work will benefit researchers correlating ancient geomorphic features with past climate as well as engineers developing construction projects in periglacial regions.