Force balance modeling and calving dynamics of the Belcher Glacier, Devon Island, Nunavut

努勒维特德文岛贝尔彻冰川的力平衡建模和崩解动力学

• 批准号: 405694-2011
• 负责人: Mortimer, Colleen
• 金额: $ 3.64万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarships - Doctoral
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2012-01-01 至 2013-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=515574
• 关键词: Force; balance; modeling; calving; dynamics

Observed increases in global air and ocean temperature have resulted in reductions of the world's glacial ice mass. Melt from glaciers and ice caps outside Greenland and Antarctica currently contributes more to global sea level rise than melt from both these two large ice sheets combined. However, we do not know how much of this contribution is the result of direct transfer of ice from glaciers to the ocean in the form of icebergs; a process known as glacier calving. Although we know that glacier calving occurs, we do not know what controls iceberg production. Icebergs pose a hazard to shipping and offshore resource development. Knowing the volume and type of icebergs in Canadian waters is of considerable economic and political importance. This proposal aims to investigate the processes involved in iceberg production through a study of the Belcher Glacier, Devon Island, Nunavut. This study will use a variety of field measurements collected on the Belcher Glacier during the spring, summer and fall of 20012 - 2014. Field data including seismic recordings, global positioning systems, time-lapse photography and weather stations will assist in determining how changes in the physical characteristics and dynamics of the Belcher Glacier are related to variations in the amount and type of icebergs produced. This information will be supplemented with continuous monitoring from satellite imagery to determine the specific forces (stresses and strains) involved in individual calving events. Determining the processes leading to iceberg production is crucial in the development of models to predict how calving may change in the future. Icebergs that calve from the Belcher Glacier float directly into Baffin Bay, an important shipping lane in the Canadian North. Thus, knowing the size and shape of icebergs that calve from the Belcher Glacier and how their characteristics vary over time will aid in hazard assessments for shipping in Canada's Arctic.

观测到的全球气温和海洋温度的上升导致了世界冰川冰块的减少。格陵兰岛和南极洲以外的冰川和冰帽的融化目前对全球海平面上升的贡献比这两个大冰盖的融化总和更大。然而，我们不知道这种贡献在多大程度上是冰川以冰山的形式直接转移到海洋中的结果，这一过程被称为冰川崩解。虽然我们知道冰川崩解的发生，但我们不知道是什么控制了冰山的产生。冰山对航运和近海资源开发构成了威胁。了解加拿大水域冰山的数量和类型具有相当重要的经济和政治意义。 这项提议旨在通过对努纳武特德文岛贝尔彻冰川的研究来调查冰山生产所涉及的过程。这项研究将使用20012-2014年春季、夏季和秋季在贝尔彻冰川上收集的各种现场测量数据。包括地震记录、全球定位系统、延时摄影和气象站在内的实地数据将有助于确定贝尔彻冰川物理特征和动态的变化与产生的冰山数量和类型的变化之间的关系。这一信息将得到来自卫星图像的持续监测的补充，以确定个别产犊事件中所涉及的特定力量(应力和应变)。 确定导致冰山产生的过程在预测冰川未来可能发生变化的模型的开发中至关重要。从贝尔彻冰川崩解的冰山直接漂浮到加拿大北部重要的航道巴芬湾。因此，了解从贝尔彻冰川崩解出来的冰山的大小和形状，以及它们的特征随着时间的变化将有助于对加拿大北极航运的危险评估。