Continuous monitoring of glacier dynamics

持续监测冰川动态

• 批准号: 376058-2009
• 负责人: Schoof, Christian
• 金额: $ 3.51万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2008-01-01 至 2009-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=412297
• 关键词: Continuous; monitoring; glacier; dynamics

Mountain glacier are one of the most significant sources of potential sea level rise over the next century, and represent freshwater resources that are crucial to agriculture in many parts of the world. The response of a glacier to climate change is mitigated by its dynamics - by how fast ice is flows from the higher reaches of the glacier, where snow accumulates, to lower altitudes, where snow melts. The rate at which a glacier moves can change over time as meltwater reaches the bed, providing lubrication and allowing faster slip at the base of the glacier. The processes by which this occurs have not been fully quantified, and the proposed research will target the mechanics of glacier sliding as well as the relationship between sliding and surface meltwater production. The research will use a novel design for a GPS antenna tripod and power system to allow continuous monitoring of glacier velocities during fall, winter and spring, when human access to glaciers is difficult and progress requries automated instrumentation. In addition, the research will help install subglacial instrumentation in order to identify how changing basal conditions correlate with surface velocity variations. This will allow us to paint a much more complete picture of the relationship between glacier dynamics and mass balance, and to unravel fundamental relationships between glacier dynamics and the hydraulics of meltwater that reaches the glacier bed.

山地冰川是下世纪海平面上升的最重要原因之一，也是世界许多地区农业的重要淡水资源。冰川对气候变化的反应是通过其动力学来减轻的--冰从冰川高处（积雪处）流向低海拔（积雪融化处）的速度。冰川移动的速度会随着时间的推移而改变，因为融水到达河床，提供润滑，并允许冰川底部更快地滑动。发生这种情况的过程尚未完全量化，拟议的研究将针对冰川滑动的力学以及滑动和表面融水生产之间的关系。该研究将使用一种新颖的GPS天线三脚架和电力系统设计，以便在秋季，冬季和春季连续监测冰川速度，当时人类很难进入冰川，并且需要自动化仪器。此外，这项研究将有助于安装冰下仪器，以确定不断变化的基础条件如何与表面速度变化相关。这将使我们能够更全面地了解冰川动力学和物质平衡之间的关系，并揭示冰川动力学和到达冰川床的融水水力学之间的基本关系。