The thermomechanics of ice-stream margins  Jenny Sukale1,2 and
James R. Rice1   Maps of the surface velocity of ice in West
Antarctica show that flow localizes in narrow bands of fast
flowing ice streams bordered by ridges of nearly stagnant ice.
Despite the importance of ice streams for the stability of the
West-Antarctic Ice Sheet, our understanding of the physical
processes that determine their flow speed and width is
incomplete. Here, we study the thermal and mechanical properties
of ice-stream margins, where flow transitions from rapid to
stagnant over a few kilometers. Our goal is to explore under
which conditions the intense shear deformation in active ice-
stream margins may lead to deformation-induced melting. We
propose a 2D model that represents a cross-section through the
ice-stream margin perpendicular  to the downstream flow
direction. We include advection, latent heat and surface
crevassing into our model and strive for a realistic description
of the ice rheology. Our simulations suggest that a