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Definition:
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A crack formed in glacier ice when tensile stresses exceed the tensile strength of the ice. The tensile stresses, and the tensile strength of the ice, are variable, and compressive stress at depth is believed to play a role in limiting the depth to which surface crevasses propagate. This depth can be up to a few tens of metres, or more if the crevasse is filled with water. Crevasses are conduits for the transfer of water, including surface meltwater, to the glacier interior and sometimes the glacier bed; see moulin. When crevasses in floating ice fill with surface meltwater, they may propagate to the base, causing the ice shelf or floating tongue to disintegrate. The fragments may contribute to an ice m
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