NSFPLR-NERC: GHOST (Geophysical Habitat of Subglacial Thwaites)

Costs of rapid sea level rise globally to infrastructure (houses, roads, and farms, etc.) is likely to be large. A possible source of water for sea level rise is the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, and Thwaites Glacier in particular. Ice sheets and glaciers contain vast quantities of water (in the form of ice) that is continually shed to the ocean, and continually replenished by snowfall (from water that evaporates from the oceans). If the amount of ice that Thwaites Glacier loses to the ocean over the next decades is much greater than the amount it receives as snowfall, then sea level in all the world's oceans would rise, possibly as much as a meter (approximately 3 feet). In order to estimate how likely such a catastrophic scenario would be, we need to better understand the surface over which Thwaites Glacier slides. If we can better characterize that layer ("is to smooth? Is it rough? Is it soft? Is it hard?"), then computer models of Thwaites would be much improved and we can make better projections of the amount of ice that Thwaites Glacier would shed to the ocean.

Better projections of the most important potential contributor to costs of sea-level rise will be of great societal value in decision-making about mitigation and adaptation. The proposed work will also contribute to education of students, advancement of a diverse group of junior faculty, and extension of a vigorous program of education and outreach. Development of a novel interactive educational tool, the Augmented Reality Sandbox, will advance glaciological education in museums and other venues.
International collaboration: We include a significant partnership with the Alfred Wegener Institute, who have agreed to provide a Vibroseis truck, a PistenBully tractor, and personnel for the length of the project, for no cost to NSF or NERC. We include a partnership with Victoria University in NZ who will aid in field work, data analysis, and interpretation.
Further details in Case for Support, submitted via US NSF FastLane portal