My glaciological research is focused on ice sheet mass balance, notably from GRACE measurements, but also includes a large number of GPS-based studies of ice sheet/stream/shelf forcing through ocean tides/surface melt/sub-glacial lakes. Detailed studies of the Amery Ice Shelf have been undertaken since my PhD, and recent work includes elevation change of the AIS since 1968.
Active Projects
Ice mass balance from time variable gravity fields
Using existing IGS, POLENET and other data sets, we are working on new GPS constraints on models of GIA through a global GPS reprocessing project. We are actively working on placing new constraints on GIA through improved GPS analysis, reference frame improvements and new GPS data in regions of key uncertainty. Working with Glenn Milne (University of Ottawa), we plan to apply the new GIA model to GRACE measurements to determine new ice mass balance estimates, with rigorous uncertainties. We are also doing code development to apply GOCE data to the problem of ice mass change.
Funding: PI, NERC-funded project (NE/E017495/1), £603k (£398k to Newcastle)
Funding: PI, NERC-funded project (EO Mission Support Scheme, NE/F000170/1), £32k; with Phil Moore
Funding: PI, NERC Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NE/D009960/1), School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, University of Newcastle, February 2006 –Jan 2009, £155k
Funding: Co-I, NERC-funded project (NE/C000862/1), £30k (finished)
Two projects relate to the Amery Ice Shelf, taking full advantage of a exciting geodetic data set from 1968-70. Geodetic-quality levelling and position (velocity) data were collected over 500 km of the central and northern AIS. These may now be compared to present-day measurements of velocity (from GPS and SAR) and elevation (from GPS profiles and ICESat laser altimetry data). Velocity data show a very small slow-down of the AIS (~0.6%) over 1968-1999. Elevation change data are currently being investigated but reveal interesting sub-decadal signals.
Funding: Various, including as a contractor to NSF project (#0229659), $US661k ($US30k to Newcastle)
Several projects relate to ice sheet dynamics forced by ocean tides or surface/sub-surface water. Three Science papers and one Nature paper have originated in collaborations on this work.
Funding: Co-I, NERC-funded project (NE/B505270/1), £280k (£64k to Newcastle)
Recent Paper Highlights
Das, S.B., I. Joughin, M.D. Behn, I.M. Howat, M.A. King, D. Lizarralde, and M.P. Bhatia. 2008. Fracture Propagation to the Base of the Greenland Ice Sheet During Supraglacial Lake Drainage, Science, 320 (5877), 778-781, 10.1126/science.1153360.
Joughin, I., S.B. Das, M.A. King, B.E. Smith, I.M. Howat, and T. Moon. 2008. Seasonal Speedup Along the Western Flank of the Greenland Ice Sheet, Science, 320 (5877), 781-783, 10.1126/science.1153288.
King, M.A., R. Coleman, P.J. Morgan, and R.S. Hurd. 2007. Velocity change of the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctica, during the period 1968-1999, J. Geophys. Res., 112, F01013, doi:10.1029/2006JF000609. Limited electronic copies are available at http://www.agu.org/journals/jf/jf0701/2006JF000609/ using login&password: 13626884
This site was last updated
27-Jul-2010