This award is for support of a borehole study to determine the mechanisms that control the movement of antarctic ice- streams and to provide an observational basis for quantitative modeling of ice stream motions. The objective is an understanding of the ice stream flow mechanism, including soft-bed deformation vs. basal sliding as the predominant flow process; flow law of basal till, or sliding law; nature of the basal water conduit system under the ice streams; sources of basal water; and lithologic evolution of basal till by erosion and comminution processes.
