Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms
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Project details
Retreat of the leading edge of marine-terminating glaciers is often associated with ice flow acceleration, increases in iceberg calving rates and discharge to the sea, and glacier thinning. The associated ice mass loss is responsible for approximately half the contribution of the Greenland Ice Sheet to sea level rise thus far this century. For the remainder of the century and beyond, gaps in our understanding of iceberg calving and glacier retreat result in large uncertainties in predictions of mass loss and consequent sea level rise. This collaborative project is designed to reveal the factors controlling terminus retreat and iceberg calving in the diverse settings of Greenland's marine terminating glaciers. The project contributes to STEM workforce development by providing support to two early-career scientists from EPSCoR states, undergraduate student participation at both institutions, and for training of a graduate student. The principal investigators will continue their active outreach, including museum and classroom visits in the rural settings around their universities, presentations to non-technical groups, and media features. This project will substantially improve our understanding of marine terminating glacier dynamics via the analysis of recently-available observational datasets. Through these data, the project will evaluate the performance of terminus parameterizations used in numerical ice sheet models, known as "calving laws." Application at 49 diverse marine-terminating glaciers around Greenland (nearly a quarter of the ice sheet total) ensures that project results will be representative. Calving laws applied to conditions at and near glacier termini will predict terminus locations. Predictions will be compared to terminus positions observed in satellite and time-lapse images to identify model misfits. This calibration and validation analysis will reveal when and where specific calving laws reliably reproduce terminus positions and calving rates. Furthermore, extensions of this approach will (1) yield insight into the impact of crevasse water storage on iceberg calving, (2) guide the inclusion of submarine melting to improve prediction by calving laws, and (3) quantify the critical timescales over which glacier properties must be characterized for the prediction of calving rates and terminus positions.
Title | Project start | End date | Organisation | Department | Project study region |
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GEUS Fjeldskredsscreening 2020 | 01.01.2020 | 31.12.2020 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Hidden habitats - what lurks beneath the Greenland seas? | 15.07.2020 | 24.07.2020 | Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) | Greenland Climate Research Centre | Greenland, South-West |
A 1.4 million year record of black carbon and biomass burning in the eastern Arctic from the Lake El'gygytgyn and other sediment cores (P2C2) | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Desert Research Institute | Desert Research Institute, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences | |
Cosmogenic surface exposure dating of Arctic NW Laurentide ice-sheet deglaciation: implications for abrupt climate change | 01.01.2019 | 31.12.2019 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
MOSAiC ACA / MOSAIC IceBird | 12.03.2020 | 10.09.2020 | Alfred-Wegener-Institut (AWI) | Arctic Ocean | |
Space Weather in Greenland | 01.06.2020 | 30.09.2020 | Technical University of Denmark (DTU) | DTU Space | Greenland, North-East |
Paleochronometry as a control problem for recovering holocene climate variations over the Greenland Ice Sheet | 01.01.2019 | 31.12.2022 | University of Texas at Austin | University of Texas at Austin, Department | |
UNAS | 01.05.2018 | 31.12.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Dimension Stone project | 17.01.2018 | 15.12.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
GEUS Fjeldskredscreening 2019 | 01.07.2019 | 25.08.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
NE Greenland 1:100,000 scale geological mapping | 01.01.2018 | 30.12.2020 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
NE Greenland 1:100,000 scale geological mapping | 15.07.2019 | 22.08.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
Baffin Bay Ice-Ocean-Sediment Interaction (BIOS) | 18.08.2019 | 09.09.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Baffin Bay | |
Upper Neoproterozoic to lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy and palaeontology of NE-Greenland | 01.08.2019 | 12.08.2019 | University of Copenhagen | Natural History Museum of Denmark | Greenland, North-East |
Dimension stones in Greenland | 28.05.2019 | 03.06.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Measuring mantle hydrogen content to map ore-forming fluids and model plate tectonics | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Macquarie University | Macquarie University, dept. | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2020 | University of Idaho | University of Idaho, dept. | |
Collaborative Research: Testing the Impact of Climate Change on the Greenland Ice Sheet: Combining Past Climate Records with a Coupled Climate and Ice-Sheet Model | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | University of Massachusetts | University of Massachusetts, Amherst, dept. | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of California | University of California, Irvine, dept. | Greenland, Mid-West |
NEEM basal ice, assessing the attributes of a cold, deep, dark ecosystem | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | Montana State University | Montana State University, dept. | |
Ethane measurements in Greenland ice cores: Developing a preindustrial record | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of California | University of California, Irvine, dept. | |
Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network (GLISN) Operations | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2020 | Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) | Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), dept. | Greenland, Mid-East |
EAGER: Exploring a community driven data-model framework for testing the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2019 | University at Buffalo | University at Buffalo, Department | |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Penn State University | Penn State University, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of Montana | University of Montana, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University at Buffalo | University at Buffalo, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Neglected fluxes: Understanding the evolution of weathering as continental ice sheets retreat | 01.01.2016 | 31.12.2019 | University of Florida | University of Florida, Department of Geological Sciences | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: P2C2: Contributions of northern cold-climate peatlands and lakes to abrupt changes in atmospheric methane during the last deglaciation | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2016 | Penn State University | Penn State University, Department | |
Collaborative Research: P2C2 -- Statistical estimation of past ice sheet volumes from paleo-sea level records | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2015 | Rutgers University New Brunswick | Rutgers University New Brunswick, Department | |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | University of Colorado Boulder | University of Colorado Boulder, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Collaborative Research: Testing the Impact of Climate Change on the Greenland Ice Sheet: Combining Past Climate Records with a Coupled Climate and Ice-Sheet Model | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | Columbia University | Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory | Greenland, Mid-West |
CAREER: South Greenland's Holocene Climate History Reconstructed Using Three Paleolimnological Approaches | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2020 | Northwestern University | Northwestern University, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Workshop proposal: The future shape of a Greenland GNSS Observation Network | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2017 | Dartmouth College | Dartmouth College, Department | |
Collaborative Research: A new radiostratigraphy of the Greenland Ice Sheet and critical boundary conditions for the next generation of ice-sheet models | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Alaska | University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department | |
Relative velocity changes using ambient seismic noise at Okmok and Redoubt volcanoes, Alaska | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2015 | University of Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin, Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center | |
CO2 evasion from the Greenland ice sheet | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Northwestern University | Northwestern University, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: P2C2: Contributions of northern cold-climate peatlands and lakes to abrupt changes in atmospheric methane during the last deglaciation | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2016 | University of Alaska | University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department | |
Geophysical constraints on the crust and upper-mantle structure of Greenland (UPPA-GL) | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2017 | Columbia University | Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory | Greenland, Mid-West |
Response of the Labrador Sea and south Greenland Ice Sheet to the mid-Pliocene climate optimum: sedimentary, magnetic and geochemical evidence from the Eirik Drift | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Rhode Island | University of Rhode Island, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Michigan | University of Michigan, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Collaborative Research: P2C2 -- Statistical estimation of past ice sheet volumes from paleo-sea level records | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2015 | Harvard University | Harvard University, Department | |
Quantifying Greenland Iceberg Melt Rates using Remotely-sensed Data | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | University of Maine | University of Maine, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of Washington | School of Oceanography | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2019 | University of Maine | University of Maine, Department | |
Upernavik - photogrammetric mapping | 27.08.2018 | 03.09.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-West | |
Saqqaq - photogrammetic mapping | 12.08.2018 | 26.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Mapping of glacial flour in the Nuuk region | 09.08.2018 | 28.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Dimension Stone project | 21.08.2018 | 04.09.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
NE Greenland 1:100 000 scale geological mapping 2018-2019 | 01.08.2018 | 27.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
UpDeep - Fieldwork 2018 | 03.07.2018 | 17.07.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Mapping the coastal zone of North East Greenland | 25.07.2018 | 15.08.2018 | Asiaq Greenland Survey | Remote Sensing | Greenland, North-East |
Maintenance of seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 04.08.2017 | 04.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-East | |
Maintenance of seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 10.08.2017 | 10.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland Ice Sheet | |
Establishment of new seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 09.08.2017 | 19.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Re-establishment of new seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 08.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Skaergaard | 01.08.2017 | 15.09.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-East | |
HiTech AlkCarb | 22.06.2017 | 06.07.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Permian–Triassic of East and Northeast Greenland: Evaluation of play analogues for the Norwegian continental shelf | 17.07.2018 | 23.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
Saqqaq | 31.07.2017 | 05.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
A new geological map (Agatdal 50K) | 14.08.2017 | 28.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Relative sea level changes in Mestersvig | 18.04.2017 | 02.05.2017 | Aarhus University (AU) | Department of Geoscience | Greenland, North-East |
UpDeep | 24.07.2017 | 03.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Architecture and mineral potential of Karrat Group | 10.07.2017 | 03.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West |