Figure 3. The depth vs. time plot for the sublimation exposure model in a reference frame that is fixed to the surface. The solid lines denote the mass that shields each sample through time. Initially, the samples are deposited in debris-rich ice, so they are shielded by both the overlying debris and ice. After this unit is deposited, it degrades due to both sublimation of the ice and erosion of the resulting till, and the samples approach the surface at a rate equal to the sum of these processes. Samples remain in the ice until the ice front has passed below the sample, at which point the sample accretes into the till. Once a sample has accreted into the till, the only process that affects the shielding of the sample is erosion, and the samples will approach the surface at a rate equal to erosion alone.
Image 18426 is a 1350 by 490 pixel WebP
Uploaded:
Dec8 09
