| Term: | Calving velocity |
| Definition: |
The volumetric calving flux divided by the area of projection of the calving glacier margin onto a vertical plane normal to the mean direction of the ice flow. Denoting horizontal velocity components in the direction of the ice flow as u, the calving velocity ucalv can be determined by application of the principle of conservation of mass at the glacier margin: calvu u u L Lbalthin, where ubal is the balance velocity, uthin is the thinning velocity and llis the rate of change of the glacier's length reckoned from a fixed point upglacier from the margin. IHPGlacierMassBalance
GCW |