Reconstructing past ice sheet dynamics and decay from glacial geomorphology and sedimentology

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This research program is mainly concerned with understanding the pattern, evolution and controls on ice motion, stability and decay within the ice masses that covered much of Canada and the northern United States during the last ice age. It is important to understand the behaviour of ancient ice sheets because the models developed for their growth, decay, geometry and stability can be used to predict the behaviour of present-day Arctic and Antarctic ice masses that in turn influence global sea level and climate. Ice motion is, in large part, governed by processes taking place at the glacier bed. The beds of present-day ice sheets are difficult to access, so we turn to the beds of ancient ice sheets (the landforms and sediments that they left behind) to explore the processes that regulate ice dynamics over broad areas, at a variety of scales and perhaps over whole ice ages. Processes taking place at the glacier bed impact ice sheet properties (e.g., thickness, geometry, debris content) and likely have an enduring effect on the rate, style and geometry of ice sheet decay. Research in this application probes the beds of ancient ice sheets, and their landscapes of decay, in order to enhance our understanding of ice motion, stability and decay.