Understanding past climate and landscape evolution through modern glacial processes

通过现代冰川过程了解过去的气候和景观演变

• 批准号: 402225-2011
• 负责人: Koppes, Michele
• 金额: $ 1.82万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=573203
• 关键词: Understanding; past; climate; landscape; evolution

The research proposed here focuses on quantifying the relationship between climate, ice dynamics and glacial sediment production across a range of temporal scales and climate regimes. These topics will be investigated using a combination of theoretical models and empirical field observations. Specific projects and locations include (1) exploring the influence of regional surface and ocean warming on the ice dynamics of polar outlet glaciers in Greenland and the Canadian Arctic (2) quantifying current changes in ice fluxes and sediment fluxes from temperate advancing and retreating glaciers in Patagonia and BC, and (3) exploring the signatures of glacial, fluvial and tectonic influences on the evolution of topography in the Pacific Northwest. The expected outcomes of this novel combination of field observations and theoretical modeling will be of considerable interest to the research community exploring the links between tectonics, climate and topography, as well as of great interest to the paleoclimate community attempting to interpret the sedimentary signatures of Quaternary climatic changes in places such as the Canadian Arctic, where few climate records exist. The recent dramatic mass losses from the polar ice sheets and corresponding sea level rise is a problem of high societal and scientific importance that has received large coverage and attention by politicians, news media, and education and outreach organizations. This work will provide new insights into a) the role of ice-ocean interactions in outlet glacial systems and their impact on ice sheet mass balance, and b) the role of regional moisture and temperature variability on glacier health, both of which are needed to obtain more realistic predictions of the evolution of ice masses worldwide and their contribution to sea level rise in a warmer climate. The applicant will use her science policy experience and connections as a TED Fellow and member of international research panels for Earth System Sciences to help disseminate the findings from this work.

这里提出的研究重点是量化气候，冰动力学和冰川沉积物生产之间的关系，在一系列的时间尺度和气候制度。这些主题将使用理论模型和经验的实地观察相结合的研究。具体项目和地点包括：（1）探索区域地表和海洋变暖对格陵兰和加拿大北极极地出口冰川冰动力学的影响;（2）量化巴塔哥尼亚和不列颠哥伦比亚省温带前进和后退冰川的冰通量和沉积物通量的当前变化;（3）探索冰川，河流和构造对太平洋西北部地形演变的影响。 这种新的实地观察和理论建模相结合的预期结果将是相当大的兴趣，研究界探索构造，气候和地形之间的联系，以及极大的兴趣，古气候社区试图解释沉积的第四纪气候变化的签名，如加拿大北极地区，那里很少有气候记录存在。最近极地冰盖的巨大损失和相应的海平面上升是一个具有高度社会和科学重要性的问题，得到了政治家，新闻媒体以及教育和宣传组织的广泛报道和关注。这项工作将提供新的见解a）冰-海洋相互作用在出口冰川系统中的作用及其对冰盖质量平衡的影响，以及B）区域水分和温度变化对冰川健康的作用，这两个都需要获得更现实的预测全球冰量的演变及其对气候变暖海平面上升的贡献。申请人将利用她作为TED研究员和地球系统科学国际研究小组成员的科学政策经验和联系，帮助传播这项工作的成果。