hide
Free keywords:
Muztagh glacier, Rock avalanche, DDA-SPH, Rework mechanisms
Abstract:
Glacial reworking of large rock avalanche sediment significantly contributes to glacial sediment transfer. This study presents two
interaction models, derived from a comprehensive site investigation
and numerical simulation, to elucidate the redistribution impact of glaciers on rock avalanche deposits. We examined the landforms of rock avalanche deposits subjected to glacial modification for over 14,000 years in Muztagh Ata, Kashgar, Xinjiang Province, China. To accurately capture the kinematic behavior of the glacier, we integrated the Glen flow law into the discontinuous deformation analysis (DDA) coupled with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method. Temperature evolution was also considered as a critical input parameter of our models. We found that the region near the glacier source primarily experienced entrainment, while areas further away were characterized by expansion. Additionally, we systematically investigated the effects of temperature and stress exponent on the viscosity and movement distance of glaciers. Our study is expected to provide some valuable insights into the dynamics of glacier interactions with rock avalanche deposits, thereby enhancing understanding of their combined influence on landscape formation and sediment redistribution.
