Glacial Isostatic Adjustment

The focus of my research in this area is ice mass change signals derived from the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite mission (2002-present). The ice mass change is derived from gravity-signals, which are contaminated by glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA). The GIA signal in the GRACE results currently exceeds the expected Antarctic ice mass balance signal.

GIA models are data poor in polar-regions and new constraints from precise and geographically widespread surface velocity measurements are needed. Whilst surface velocity estimates have been derived in many of the key regions their accuracy and precision is presently too low.

Recent advances (GIA modelling and geodetic observations) indicate that a collaborative approach at this point in time would lead to a significant improvement in GIA model accuracy. Further, additional data in key locations (Antarctic and Greenland) will be added during the International Polar Year (2007-9).

• Improved models of West Antarctic glacial isostatic adjustment through new crustal motion data

        Funding: Principal Investigator, NERC-funded project (NE/F01466X/1), £633k (£460k to Newcastle), 2009-2014

The project involves Installing 7 new GPS receivers in southern Antarctic Peninsula for improvements in GIA model accuracy and GRACE-based ice mass change estimates. These sites will act as a regional densification of the US POLENET project, a major part of the IPY POLENET project.

• LARISSA

  LARISSA is a multi-disciplinary NSF-funded study of the LARsen Ice Shelf System, Antarctica. In 2008-9 and 2010-11, 6 new GPS systems will be installed by UNAVCO to measure GIA in the region of the former Larsen B embayment, of which I will oversee the GPS data analysis

  • http://www.hamilton.edu/news/exp/LARISSA/index.html
     

• COST Action ES0701 - Improved constraints on models of glacial isostatic adjustment

  I am currently Chair of ES0701, a pan-European collaboration (2008-2012). The main objective of the Action is to place improved constraints on models of glacial isostatic adjustment through the development of state-of-the-art surface velocity measurements with the consequent production of new ice mass change estimates for the major ice sheets. In this Action leading geodesists and geophysicists from Europe will focus together, to provide improved constraints on GIA models and, hence, on contemporary ice mass balance estimates for Antarctica, Greenland and the smaller ice caps. Up to ~€90k per year over 4 years is available for workshops, conferences, visits, etc.

  This Action addresses the current uncertainty in polar ice mass contributions to present-day global sea level rise.

  Action ES0701 website: http://www.cost-es0701.gcparks.com/

  Official COST website for ES0701: http://www.cost.esf.org/index.php?id=205&action_number=ES0701

  We recently held a GIA training school (see from ~4m40s):

   

   

This site was last updated 27-Jul-2010