Abstract Crevasses control glacier dynamics through fracture and meltwater routing, yet their propagation rates remain observationally scarce and poorly constrained across brittle‐to‐viscous regimes. Cryoseismology offers a powerful means to capture dynamic processes within glacial ice, with recent advances in novel processing methods like Matched Field Processing (MFP) applicable to dense seismic arrays. However, precise localization of cryoseismic sources remains challenging in sparse or irregular seismic arrays. We propose a two‐step workflow for meters‐scale resolution mapping of glacial seismic activity that integrates MFP and discrete arrival times relocation under a limited instrumentation constraint. We apply this approach to analyze seismic activity at the ice surface on the Hansbreen glacier, Svalbard. Using MFP, we detect surface icequakes and characterize meltwater noise regardless of the limited instrumentation. The relocation procedure increases the accuracy of surface icequakes localization and reveals ongoing crevasse opening episodes. The precise locations of the icequakes allow for the estimation of the crevasse propagation rate and the determination of the diffusion coefficients of 0.47–0.55 . Based on the obtained results, we discuss brittle‐to‐viscous regime transfer and interpret the crevassing mechanism as sustained subcritical crack propagation, where viscous stress relaxation governs rates of orders of magnitude below elastic limits.
Gajek et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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