Mechanical and Grain Size Data from Constant Stress Uniaxial Compaction Experiments on Synthetic Firn

This archive contains data from temperature-controlled, uniaxial compaction experiments on synthetic firn samples. Synthetic firn samples with a diameter of 1 in and a height of ~45 mm were created from seed ice that was prepared following the standard ice method. Sample fabrication took place in a cold room with a temperature of -25°C to -20°C, where the seed ice was mechanically crushed and sieved to a grain size of 210 - 500 microns.
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<br/>The experiments were conducted in an apparatus that allows for: control of axial loads up to 3.5 MPa with a precision of 0.1 kPa, measurement of axial displacement with a precision of 1 micron, and control of sample temperatures down to -40°C with a precision of 0.05°C. Each experiment was conducted at a constant temperature and targeted axial stress. Samples were compacted uniaxially for about week. The archive contains data from 21 experiments: at four target stresses (0.5 MPa, 1 MPa, 2 MPa, and 3.4 MPa) and five different temperatures (-40°C, -30°C, -20°C, -10°C, and -2°C) at each target stress. Plus an additional experiment at 1 MPa and T = -10°C.
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<br/>Three sets of data are provided for each experiment. (I) Mechanical data recorded at 1 Hz: axial displacement, sample height, density, porosity, target stress, seal stress, and applied stress. (II) Strain rates computed over a subset of the mechanical data. (III) Data from grain size analysis conducted on samples after compaction. The grain size data includes five optical microscopy images from each sample and measurements of grain sizes from those images.
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