Assessing the impacts of climate change on glaciers, landscapes, and freshwater resources

过去十年，评估冰川和地貌如何应对人为影响和气候变化一直是地球系统科学的一个重要目标，特别是在预测冰川和冰盖缩小造成的水资源和自然灾害方面。我的研究计划的目标是继续调查气候变化对冰川和冰盖动态及其产生的景观的影响。理论和观测表明，融化的水在加速冰块流动方面发挥了关键作用，冰块反过来又推动了侵蚀和陡峭山脉景观的形成。随着温度的升高，产生更多的水并输送到冰川床，增加了滑动的速度。这种加剧的滑动产生了更多的冰和融化水的侵蚀，划出了山谷，将更多的沉积物和水输送到冰川前缘。冰川床融水的产生受两个因素的影响：表面融化和基本的热条件。表面融化是气候和碎片覆盖数量的函数，如果足够厚，碎片覆盖可以隔绝冰。基本的热状况也同样受到气候的影响。此外，侵蚀速率是基质类型和融水冲刷冰床界面产生的任何碎屑的能力的函数。 我的研究团队和其他人从这些观察中获得了灵感，我正在进行的研究计划将重点放在： 评价冰-海-沉积物相互作用的经验模型 观测碎屑覆盖对冰川融化和物质平衡的影响 冰川侵蚀的时空变异性研究 量化近期冰川萎缩对景观动态和自然灾害的影响 我的目标是继续应用跨学科研究和思维来评估气候变化对冰川和景观的影响。我将结合实地观察、经验数据收集的新技术、空间分析、地质年代测定工具和数值模型开发，以研究气候变化、冰川动力学、融水产生和景观侵蚀之间的关系。我的研究将有助于提高对气候变暖中景观、冰块、自然灾害和水资源变化的预测。它将向即将于2019年发布的政府间气候变化专门委员会(IPPC)关于气候变化中的海洋和冰冻圈的特别报告提供信息。

Assessing how glaciers and landscapes are responding to anthropogenic impacts and climate change has been an important goal in Earth system science over the past decade, especially with respect to projections of water resources and natural hazards due to shrinking glaciers and ice caps. The objective of my research program is to continue to investigate the effects of climate change on the dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets, and on the landscapes they produce. Theory and observations have shown that meltwater plays a crucial role in accelerating the flow of ice masses, which in turn drives erosion and the creation of steep mountain landscapes. As temperatures rise, more water is being generated and delivered to the glacier bed, increasing the rate of sliding. This increased sliding generates more erosion by ice and meltwater, carving out valleys and delivering more sediment and water to the glacier front. The production of meltwater at the glacier bed is modulated by two factors: surface melting and basal thermal conditions. Surface melting is a function of climate and the amount of debris cover, which if thick enough can insulate the ice. Basal thermal conditions are similarly driven by climate. Moreover, erosion rates are a function of type of substrate, and the capacity of meltwater to flush any debris generated from the ice-bed interface. Drawing inspiration from these observations, made by my research team and others, my ongoing research program will focus on: Evaluating empirical models of ice-ocean-sediment interactions Observing the role of debris cover on glacier melt and mass balance Exploring the temporal and spatial variability of glacial erosion Quantifying the effects of recent glacier shrinkage on landscape dynamics and natural hazards My aim is to continue to apply interdisciplinary research and thinking to assess the impacts of climate change on glaciers and landscapes. I will integrate field observations, novel techniques for empirical data collection, spatial analysis, geochronological dating tools, and numerical model development to examine the relationships between climate change, ice dynamics, meltwater production, and the erosion of landscapes. My research will help improve predictions of changes in landscapes, ice masses, natural hazards and water resources in a warming climate. It will inform the upcoming Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) Special Report on Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, due in 2019.