| Abstract | Dynamic Recrystallization and bulk pressure melting, accompanied by extensive microcracking, in localized zones of high pressure, have been put forward by some researchers (Jordaan, 2001; Jordaan et al., 1999) as the dominant mechanisms governing the behavior of ice during impact and indentation. This paper outlines the fundamental physics of ice recrystallization and pressure melting and then examines the viability of the proposed ice crushing model in the context of existing lab and field data. Questions arise when the time dependent aspects of recrystallization and heat conduction are considered in view of the high strain rates typically imposed on ice during impacts and indentation. The model exhibits incompatibilities with detailed in situ pressure and temperature measurements and simultaneous visual data over a wide range of scales. Similarly, the model does not adequately explain the relative displacement measurements of ice and indentors. Thin sections of indented natural ice and large flaw-free single crystals are discussed in association with these conclusions. |
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