Looking back to see the future: Change in the Lambert Glacier and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the Lambert Glacier of East Antarctica, from the time of the last maximum glaciation to the present, through an integrated and interdisciplinary study combining new field evidence - ice retreat history, geodetic measurements of crustal rebound, satellite measurements of present ice heights and changes therein - with other geological and glaciological data an ....Looking back to see the future: Change in the Lambert Glacier and the East Antarctic Ice Sheet. To develop a comprehensive understanding of the Lambert Glacier of East Antarctica, from the time of the last maximum glaciation to the present, through an integrated and interdisciplinary study combining new field evidence - ice retreat history, geodetic measurements of crustal rebound, satellite measurements of present ice heights and changes therein - with other geological and glaciological data and numerical geophysical modelling advances. The project contributes to the quantitative characterisation of the complex interactions between ice-sheets, oceans and solid earth within the climate system. Outcomes have implications for geophysics, glaciology, geomorphology, climate, and past and future sea-level change.Read moreRead less
Discovery Early Career Researcher Award - Grant ID: DE210101923
Funder
Australian Research Council
Funding Amount
$411,073.00
Summary
Characteristics and controls of ice sheet loss on centennial timescales. This project aims to unearth the characteristics and controls of Antarctic ice sheet loss on timescales of 100s to 1000s of years. The polar ice sheets are getting smaller at an accelerating rate in response to a warming climate, but modern observations are not yet sufficient to determine whether current ice sheet loss marks the start of irreversible retreat. Through a combination of novel geological approaches and numerica ....Characteristics and controls of ice sheet loss on centennial timescales. This project aims to unearth the characteristics and controls of Antarctic ice sheet loss on timescales of 100s to 1000s of years. The polar ice sheets are getting smaller at an accelerating rate in response to a warming climate, but modern observations are not yet sufficient to determine whether current ice sheet loss marks the start of irreversible retreat. Through a combination of novel geological approaches and numerical ice-flow modelling, this project expects to generate new knowledge on the rates and magnitudes of ice sheet loss, and the processes that will dictate the amount of ice loss in this century and beyond. This work should be beneficial for managing the societal, economic and environmental impacts of future sea-level rise.Read moreRead less
The Antarctic ice sheet through the Last Glacial Cycle - numerical modelling constrained by field evidence. The response of the world's largest ice mass to climate change is important because melting leads to a rise in sea level. Our ability to predict changes in ice volume and sea level under a warming climate, will be enhanced by better understanding of past ice sheet responses to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Improved numerical models now exist that allow realistic simulations of Ant ....The Antarctic ice sheet through the Last Glacial Cycle - numerical modelling constrained by field evidence. The response of the world's largest ice mass to climate change is important because melting leads to a rise in sea level. Our ability to predict changes in ice volume and sea level under a warming climate, will be enhanced by better understanding of past ice sheet responses to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Improved numerical models now exist that allow realistic simulations of Antarctic ice. These models will be developed further and constrained against existing and new field evidence for the Last Glacial Cycle (last 125,000 years), the period for which we can best define past ice sheet behaviour.Read moreRead less
Cosmogenic isotopes in glacial landscapes: climate change and production rates. By dating glacial deposits near Australia, we will provide new insights into climate change in our region. A better understanding of the factors that control climate change in our region will be of benefit to all Australians. We will use a tool called exposure dating that has become very important in understanding a variety of processes at the Earth's surface, many of which are poorly understood in the Australian reg ....Cosmogenic isotopes in glacial landscapes: climate change and production rates. By dating glacial deposits near Australia, we will provide new insights into climate change in our region. A better understanding of the factors that control climate change in our region will be of benefit to all Australians. We will use a tool called exposure dating that has become very important in understanding a variety of processes at the Earth's surface, many of which are poorly understood in the Australian region. Our research will ensure that Australia remains at the leading edge of the application of this technique and is included in future international research programs. Read moreRead less
Understanding the drivers and impacts of long-term Antarctic ice sheet change. This project will extend historical records of change and develop an understanding of the complex linkages between the climate and Antarctic ice sheet dynamics. The results will thereby assist in identifying the mechanisms of the past and future ice sheet stability and be communicated to the general public by enhancing scientific understanding.