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West Antarctic Ice Sheet subglacial drainage and grounding zone seismicity
Antarctic ice sheets contribute significant uncertainty to sea level rise projections due to processes occurring deep beneath the ice. This project will use existing data from two passive seismic deployments to investigate the ice sheet – ice shelf transition of Kamb Ice Stream in West Antarctica.
Antarctic ice streams feed approximately 90% of Antarctica’s ice into the world’s oceans. These ice streams flow to the ocean through a combination of internal deformation and by sliding over and deforming the rock and sediment that underlies them. Processes at the base of the ice are particularly important to understand as they can result in rapid changes in ice flow velocity at time scales of hours to days and years to centuries. Many of these processes emit acoustic signals which can be recorded at the ice surface making passive-source seismology an ideal tool with which to study them. This project will use existing data to examine the transition where the grounded Kamb Ice Stream crosses into the Ross Ice Shelf and contributes to global sea level.
Antarctic ice streams feed approximately 90% of Antarctica’s ice into the world’s oceans. These ice streams flow to the ocean through a combination of internal deformation and by sliding over and deforming the rock and sediment that underlies them. Processes at the base of the ice are particularly important to understand as they can result in rapid changes in ice flow velocity at time scales of hours to days and years to centuries. Many of these processes emit acoustic signals which can be recorded at the ice surface making passive-source seismology an ideal tool with which to study them. This project will use existing data to examine the transition where the grounded Kamb Ice Stream crosses into the Ross Ice Shelf and contributes to global sea level.
Project aims include identifying, locating, and characterising seismicity from sources at the base of the ice stream and within the ice shelf. These sources include water flow in a large subglacial drainage channel, and crevasse formation due to flexure of the floating ice shelf as it rises and falls with the tide. To achieve the aims you will use existing tools (e.g. obspy) to process and analyse the data. Basic programming skills, or the desire to develop them, are required. The ideal candidate would also have an interest in glaciology and applied geophysics. Should time allow, the results will be compared with other complementary data (e.g. Global Navigation Satellite System positioning) and model output (e.g. subglacial water routing.)
Project aims include identifying, locating, and characterising seismicity from sources at the base of the ice stream and within the ice shelf. These sources include water flow in a large subglacial drainage channel, and crevasse formation due to flexure of the floating ice shelf as it rises and falls with the tide. To achieve the aims you will use existing tools (e.g. obspy) to process and analyse the data. Basic programming skills, or the desire to develop them, are required. The ideal candidate would also have an interest in glaciology and applied geophysics. Should time allow, the results will be compared with other complementary data (e.g. Global Navigation Satellite System positioning) and model output (e.g. subglacial water routing.)
For further information please contact Dr. Huw Horgan (horganh@ethz.ch)
For further information please contact Dr. Huw Horgan (horganh@ethz.ch)