Sand layer on a thrust plain at the snout of Aktineq Glacier (B17)

Location: Bylot Island, Nunavut, Canada

This image shows the expression of an approximately 5 cm layer of sand on a thrust plane that dips up ice (to the left) at the snout of Aktineq Glacier (B17). As sediment melts out, it protects ice from melting, forming a small ridge. Spray in background is from meltwater issuing from conduit mouth pictured in images 0024, 0025, and 0027. This view is from an icing (aufeis, naled) surface attached to base of the glacier's snout, looking southeast. Variations of this form are common in snout areas of all glaciers of this region—any place where planar sediment bodies are involved in thrusting in the zone of compression near and at the glaciers' snouts. Sizes of resulting ridges range from this one to ridges more than 2 m high.

Updated 03/30/2010 AW