Geological history constraints on grounding line retreat in the Thwaites Glacier Systems

The primary objective is to determine the timing and duration of multiple phases of ice sheet advance over the site. The student will work with a unique suite of erratic cobbles from a nunatak next to Pope Glacier that are of widely varying size and lithology, as well as having differing weathering characteristics despite all having been deposited at the same elevation. The student will apply the technique of exposure age dating using multiple cosmogenic nuclides, in addition to drawing on the well-documented observations of geomorphological context of the erratics made during a field campaign by supervisors Johnson and Roberts. 22 samples from this suite are held in the archive at BAS. The student will initially work on identifying their different lithological and weathering characteristics before choosing a subset of samples for cosmogenic analysis. Preparation of pure quartz and targets for 10Be AMS measurement (and 26Al if required) will be undertaken by the student in supervisor Rood's laboratory at Imperial College London. They will then select up to 10 samples for in situ cosmogenic 14C measurement, to determine the duration and timing of ice sheet re-advances over the site.

A secondary objective is to use remote sensing (World View 2 and 3 satellite imagery, plus drone imagery obtained by supervisor Roberts) to detect areas where glacial erratics are common on nunataks near Pope Glacier. Philippa Mason (Imperial) will supervise this part of the project. Using remote sensing in advance of field campaigns has the potential to enable more efficient sampling for surface exposure dating and thus save time and expenses associated with remote Antarctic fieldwork.

The project will have broad societal impact via the following public engagement and outreach programmes in the US and UK:

1. Mobile, dynamic, physical sea-level visualization: It is common practice in coastal and riverine cities throughout the US, UK, and elsewhere to mark the height of significant historical floods on buildings, telephone poles, or other structures. This provides a sense that city residents have endured shared hardships, a powerful reminder of vulnerability to natural processes, and a spur to planning and preparedness against future flooding. Brent Goehring (Tulane University, USA) will start with this idea, migrate it from past to future sea-level rise scenarios, and realize it as a mobile, dynamic visualization tool that attracts and fixes public attention.

2. Outreach to UK schools: We will undertake a programme of public engagement, in particular outreach to schools, through the existing 'Think Geophysics' initiative run by Woodward at Northumbria University, which builds on the nuSTEM project led by Northumbria (currently funded at £1.2 million by the Higher Education Funding Council for England). nuSTEM targets gender imbalance in physics at UK universities by changing the way young people engage with science during their school years and path to university, and works with 40 partner schools, aiming to engage over 100,000 young people by 2025. 'Think Geophysics' will adapt the nuSTEM cradle-to-career blueprint to environmental geochemistry and geophysics, aiming to inspire young people, particularly women and underrepresented groups, into science careers through the following actions: Engage pupils at 20 partner schools through 'Think Geophysics' workshops that cover climate change in Antarctica including sea level rise, introduce key concepts in geochemistry and geophysics, and allow children to explore these themselves through hands-on activities. In conjunction with a local artist, bespoke workshops will be developed to help young people explore scientific concepts of climate change through media not traditionally used in the teaching of geochemistry and geophysics.

3. Public engagement: We will also link to Centres, museums, festivals and events to target young people's support networks and bring 'Think Geophysics' to new audiences, specifically the Cambridge Science Festival (an established annual event attracting 25,000); the Annual Big Bang Fair at the The Centre for Life, Newcastle; and the Imperial Festival and Imperial Fringe at Imperial College London and Natural History Museum (Nature Live talks). We will utilize the 'Think' digital presence to enhance learning from the workshops, show real-life applications and associated career pathways. This includes activities for children and parents to continue learning outside of school, resources for teachers, case studies of students studying these subjects and geologists working in the field, and engagement through video, podcasts and social media.

For outreach and public engagement via print and online media, we will work with a freelance science writer who will join one of the two field groups undertaking subglacial bedrock recovery drilling and subsequently report on this aspect of the project, as well as other parts of this project and Thwaites Glacier research generally, in online and print outlets in both the US and UK.

4. The project will support 3 early-career scientists, graduate and undergraduate research at Tulane University, University of Maine, University of Washington, and Imperial College London, and a PhD student hosted at British Antarctic Survey.