NSFPLR-NERC: GHOST (Geophysical Habitat of Subglacial Thwaites)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Geosciences
Abstract
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.
Planned Impact
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
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
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Robert Bingham (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Van Wyk De Vries M
(2017)
A new volcanic province: an inventory of subglacial volcanoes in West Antarctica
in Geological Society, London, Special Publications
Schroeder DM
(2019)
Multidecadal observations of the Antarctic ice sheet from restored analog radar records.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Ockenden H
(2022)
Inverting ice surface elevation and velocity for bed topography and slipperiness beneath Thwaites Glacier
in The Cryosphere
Ockenden H
(2023)
Ice-flow perturbation analysis: a method to estimate ice-sheet bed topography and conditions from surface datasets
in Journal of Glaciology
Clyne E
(2020)
Interpretation of topography and bed properties beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica using seismic reflection methods
in Earth and Planetary Science Letters
Christie FDW
(2023)
Inter-decadal climate variability induces differential ice response along Pacific-facing West Antarctica.
in Nature communications
Christie F
(2018)
Glacier change along West Antarctica's Marie Byrd Land Sector and links to inter-decadal atmosphere-ocean variability
in The Cryosphere
Bodart J
(2021)
Age-Depth Stratigraphy of Pine Island Glacier Inferred From Airborne Radar and Ice-Core Chronology
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Alley R
(2021)
Bedforms of Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica: Character and Origin
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface
Description | 2x AGU Conference talks by PhD students lead-supervised by R. Bingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Conference presentations to peers and fellow science professionals led by my 2 PhD students Julien Bodart and Helen Ockenden on research associated with ITGC-GHOST. This served as dissemination to the international community on research we have undertaken with existing data on Thwaites Glacier while the pandemic has delayed the field deployment for the project. It also served as professional training for the 2 PhD students in their 1st/2nd years of study respectively. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021 |
Description | 2x EGU Conference talks by PhD students lead-supervised by R. Bingham |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Conference presentations to peers and fellow science professionals led by my 2 PhD students Julien Bodart and Helen Ockenden on research associated with ITGC-GHOST. This served as dissemination to the international community on research we have undertaken with existing data on Thwaites Glacier while the pandemic has delayed the field deployment for the project. It also served as professional training for the 2 PhD students in their 1st/2nd years of study respectively. In 2022 this has given the first in-person experiences of conference presentation and meeting fellow professionals. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020,2021,2022 |
Description | European Geosciences Union 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International conference presentation reporting on recently published paper Bingham, R.G.; D.G. Vaughan, E.C. King, D. Davies, S.L. Cornford, A.M. Smith, A.M. Brisbourne, J. De Rydt, A.G.C. Graham, M. Spagnolo, O.J. Marsh and D.M. Shean. Diverse landscapes beneath Pine Island Glacier influence ice flow. EGU General Assembly, Vienna, Austria, 04/2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | ITGC Workshop at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Opening workshop and media launch for NERC-NSF International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | International Glaciological Society British Branch 2018 (University of Exeter) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | National conference presentation advertising recently published paper: Bingham, R.G.; D.G. Vaughan, E.C. King, D. Davies, S.L. Cornford, A.M. Smith, A.M. Brisbourne, J. De Rydt, A.G.C. Graham, M. Spagnolo, O.J. Marsh and D.M. Shean Diverse landscapes beneath Pine Island Glacier influence ice flow. IGS British Branch Meeting, Exeter, 09/2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Invited Presentation - American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Invited conference presentation on recently published paper: Bingham, R.G.; D. Davies, E.C. King, A.M. Smith, A.M. Brisbourne, M. Spagnolo, A.G.C. Graham, A.E. Hogg and D.G. Vaughan (2018) How dynamic are ice-stream beds? AGU Fall Meeting, Washington D.C., 12/2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | NERC-iSTAR Final Workshop 2017 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Two talks delivered by myself and PhD student Damon Davies at final iSTAR Workshop at University of Leeds, May 2017: Bingham, R.G.; E.C King, D. Davies, S.L. Cornford, A.M. Smith, A.M. Brisbourne, R.J. Arthern, J. De Rydt, A.G.C. Graham, M. Spagnolo. O.J. Marsh, D.E. Shean, D.G. Vaughan. Diverse landscapes beneath Pine Island Glacier influence rates of ice loss. NERC-iSTAR Annual Science Meeting, Leeds, 05/2017. Davies, D.; R.G. Bingham, A.G.C. Graham, M. Spagnolo, P. Dutrieux, D.G. Vaughan, A. Jenkins, F.O. Nitsche High resolution sub-ice-shelf seafloor records of 20th-century ungrounding and retreat of Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica. NERC-iSTAR Annual Science Meeting, Leeds, 05/2017. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Outreach presentation to Fort William Mountain Festival |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Outreach talk, 30 mins, as part of dedicated session on polar science. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
Description | Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research Open Science Conference - POLAR2018, Davos, Switzerland, 2018 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | International conference presentation reporting on recently published paper: Bingham, R.G.; D.G. Vaughan, E.C. King, D. Davies, S.L. Cornford, A.M. Smith, A.M. Brisbourne, J. De Rydt, A.G.C. Graham, M. Spagnolo, O.J. Marsh and D.M. Shean Diverse landscapes beneath Pine Island Glacier influence ice flow. SCAR Open Science Conference, Davos, Switzerland, 06/2018. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |