Earth Science Academic Archive - Project 18209682
Investigating physical processes at ice-stream beds: integrating modern and palaeo-ice stream records

O'Cofaigh, Professor C

Ice streams are responsible for most of the drainage from modern ice sheets and they exerted a similar influence on past ice sheets. Understanding the controls on ice streams is critical in any attempt to assess the possibility of future collapse of the large polar ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. To date, most investigations have focused on either modern ice streams or former (palaeo-) ice streams and there has been little attempt to integrate these datasets and approaches. There are considerable differences between the findings of both approaches and, as a result, our understanding of ice streams is incomplete and often generalised. The research proposed here will be the first integrated study of modern and palaeo-ice stream records and will utilise a range of techniques to investigate what controls the location and cessation of ice streams and what causes their rapid motion.

Keywords

'Glacial drainage', 'Quaternary', 'Sedimentation'

Principal Investigator

O'Cofaigh, Professor C

Geography,
Durham University,


Download

One file available for download (see note below):
The project contains the following datasets:
  • Investigating physical processes at ice-stream beds: integrating modern and palaeo-ice stream records
    Ice streams are responsible for most of the drainage from modern ice sheets and they exerted a similar influence on past ice sheets. Understanding the controls on ice streams is critical in any attempt to assess the possibility of future collapse of the large polar ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland. To date, most investigations have focused on either modern ice streams or former (palaeo-) ice streams and there has been little attempt to integrate these datasets and approaches. There are considerable differences between the findings of both approaches and, as a result, our understanding of ice streams is incomplete and often generalised. The research proposed here will be the first integrated study of modern and palaeo-ice stream records and will utilise a range of techniques to investigate what controls the location and cessation of ice streams and what causes their rapid motion.
How to use this download:

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