Unveiling the 4D variability in the lithospheric cradle of the Antarctic ice sheet

揭示南极冰盖岩石圈摇篮的 4D 变化

• 批准号: 2439034
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Edinburgh
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2439034
• 关键词: Unveiling; 4D; variability; lithospheric; cradle

Importance and timeliness of the researchThe lithosphere beneath Antarctica remains poorly understood compared to other continents but is of major significance, as it also provides the fundamental cradle on which its vast ice sheets flow. Antarctica's bed topography, subice geology and deeper structure all influence geothermal heat flux, a particularly ill-constrained parameter that needs to be better estimated in the timely quest to determine key basal conditions that affect ice sheet dynamics, including subglacial hydrology.Recent advancements in Earth Observation via satellite gravity gradient and satellite magnetic missions of the European Space Agency (ESA), augmented by new international compilations of aeromagnetic, aerogravity and radar data, coupled with progress in 3D modelling methodologies provide tantalising new opportunities for better integrated Antarctic lithosphere and ice sheet studies.Project SummaryThis PhD project leverages on a new EO project of ESA, 4D Antarctica, which aims to investigate and model the Antarctic lithosphere and assess its effects on geothermal heat flux variability.The main aim of this PhD project is to develop state of the art 2D and 3D models and interpretations of crustal and lithosphere structure and thermal structure for selected Antarctic study regions, including the PolarGAP surrounding South Pole, where the satellite EO data gap has recently been filled with new airborne geophysical observations. The project will target modelling the crust and lithosphere and its evolution beneath the Pensacola-Pole subglacial basin in East Antarctica that also hosts a variety of dynamic and static subglacial lakes. Larger scale models of the lithosphere and geothermal heat flux variability beneath the West and East Antarctic ice sheets will then be developed and compared with the better understood Ross Sea, Transantarctic Mountains and Wilkes Subglacial Basin region. Comparative studies between the Wilkes and Pensacola-Pole basins will link bedrock topography, geology, deep structure, geothermal heat flux and subglacial hydrology in both regions for the first time.We anticipate that the project will provide key new insights into crustal and lithosphere structure beneath the South Pole frontier, new geophysical estimates of large-scale subglacial geothermal heat flux variability, novel views of the interplays between bed topography, geology, subice hydrology and ice sheet dynamics, and methodological advancements in integrated lithosphere-ice sheet studies.

研究的重要性和及时性与其他大陆相比，南极洲下面的岩石圈仍然知之甚少，但具有重大意义，因为它也提供了巨大冰盖流动的基本摇篮。南极洲的河床地形、冰下地质和深层结构都影响地热通量，这是一个约束特别不好的参数，需要更好地估计，以便及时确定影响冰盖动态的关键基础条件，包括冰下水文。通过新的国际汇编的航空地磁，航空重力和雷达数据的增强，再加上三维建模方法的进步，为更好地综合南极岩石圈和冰盖研究提供了诱人的新机会。该博士项目的主要目的是研究和模拟南极岩石圈，并评估其对地热通量变化的影响。该博士项目的主要目的是为选定的南极研究区域开发最先进的2D和3D模型，并解释地壳和岩石圈结构和热结构，包括南极周围的PolarGAP，最近用新的航空地球物理观测填补了那里的卫星EO数据空白。该项目的目标是建立地壳和岩石圈及其在南极洲东部彭萨科拉极点冰下盆地下演变的模型，该盆地还拥有各种动态和静态冰下湖泊。更大规模的模型的岩石圈和地热热通量变化下的西部和东部南极冰盖，然后将开发和更好地了解罗斯海，跨南极山脉和威尔克斯冰下盆地地区进行比较。威尔克斯和彭萨科拉极地盆地之间的比较研究将首次将两个地区的基岩地形、地质、深部结构、地热通量和冰下水文联系起来。我们预计，该项目将为南极边界以下的地壳和岩石圈结构提供关键的新见解，对大规模冰下地热通量变化的新地球物理估计，床地形，地质，冰下水文和冰盖动力学之间的相互作用的新观点，并在综合岩石圈冰盖研究方法的进步。