= Basal water pressure
{title2=$p_w,\quad N=p_i-p_w$}
The water <pressure> at a <glacier>-bed interface affects the effective normal <pressure> $N$, the difference between <ice> overburden <pressure> $p_i$ and water <pressure> $p_w$. Higher water <pressure> at fixed overburden reduces effective compression of the bed contact and can alter cavitation and basal resistance. It is not identical to basal <shear stress>, and a sliding law depending only on shear suppresses this independent hydraulic influence.
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