On the Bending of Glacier Ice*

Abstract

MR. MATTHEWS and Mr. Froude had supported long rectangles of ordinary ice at the two ends, weighted them in the centre, and thus caused them to bend. The ice employed, if I recollect right, was of a temperature some degrees below the freezing point, andin my little Alpine book recently published I expressed a hope that similar experiments might be made with glacier ice. I have been; trying my hand at such experiments. The ice first employed was from the end of the Morteratsch Glacier, and when cut appeared clear and continuous. A little exposure, however, showed it to be disintegrated, being composed of those curious jointed polyhedra into which: glacier ice generally resolves itself when yielding to warmth. Still, when properly supported and weighted, a long stout rectangle of such ice showed, after twelve hours, signs of bending.