Glacier & Ice Sheet Dynamics

Drivers of Glacier Flow

We are interested in understanding how glaciers move and the drivers of their flow rates. We approach this problem primarily using remote sensing methods but we collaborate with experts in glaciologists, modelling and engineers to combine measurements and understanding. In particular, we are interested in how the drivers of glacier flow are changing over time and how they might impact the evolution of glaciers and ice sheets into the future. Just a few of the mechanisms we are interested in include surface melting, processes at the ice-ocean interface, surface mass balance, and the impact of bedrock topography.

Ice melange

Ice melange is the mixture of sea ice and icebergs at the termini of tidewater glaciers and is thought to play a role in suppressing iceberg calving through buttressing and also impacts fjord circulation. Ice melange moves rapidly and so we harness next generation small satellites such as ICEYE and Planet to map ice melange changes at high spatial and temporal resolution. In particular, we aim to develop insights through remote sensing by moving beyond traditional methods used to understand the slower moving glaciers. We are particularly interested in quantifying the impact ice melange has on iceberg calving and understanding how ice melange conditions impact tidewater glacier dynamics. We are keen to work with oceanographers to further understand how ice melange melt impacts fjord circulation and submarine melting of tidewater glaciers.

Iceberg Calving

The calving of icebergs at the termini of tidewater glaciers results from a complex set of inter-connected processes and hence is difficult to quantify and predict. We are aim to obtain measurements at high resolution that enable an improved understanding of the drivers of calving in order to develop an improved theoretical understanding of the process. Further, we also aim to quantify the relative role of calving and frontal ablation on the mass balance of tidewater glaciers. This will help us understand the relative contribution of frontal ablation and surface mass balance on glacier mass balance. This is crucial for understand future changes in glaciers and ice sheets and thus its potential contribution to future sea level changes.

Glacier Surges

Surging glaciers undergo cyclical changes in fast and slow flow. These dynamics are typically thought to departures from ;standard’ glacier flow and thus offers a unique natural laboratory to understand the process of glacier flow. Using a range in situ and remote sensing measurements, we seek to better understand the drivers of surging glaciers. We are currently investigating the activation of a surge at Borebreen, a tidewater glacier in Svalbard that has not surged since ~100 years ago. We are combining seismic arrays with close-range measurements from laser scanners, time-lapse cameras and drones to quantify the surge dynamics and its impact on calving. We are supplementing this with high resolution Planet imagery to assess how these dynamics evolve over a seasonal cycle. Future work will seek to repeat these measurements and assess long-term surge dynamics.