Subglacial hydrology

How does water flow underneath glaciers? When does this flow channelise into large subglacial rivers, and what impact does this have on the net permeability of the system? Do existing models of subglacial drainage networks predict the yearly cycles of velocity in Greenland?

Collaborators: Aleah Sommers, Colin Meyer, Lauren Andrews

Ice stream force balance

Fast flowing ice streams are resisted by a combination of lateral drag, basal drag, and extensional stress. How can we capture these competing mechanisms in a reduced model to rapidly assess basal drag from surface observations?

Collaborators: Logan Mann, Colin Meyer, Jerome Neufeld

Grounding-line dynamics

What governs the transition from grounded ice sheets to floating ice shelves? How does the action of tides influence the basal sliding of ice? What does this suggest about melt at the grounding line?

Collaborators: Jerome Neufeld, Duncan Hewitt, Kiya Riverman

Rheology of deforming sediments

How does water pressure influence the dynamics of subglacial sediment? To what extent does sediment deformation feed back into water pressure? How does ice infiltration into pore space impact its strength?

Collaborators: Dougal Hansen, Luke Zoet, Aaron Stubblefield, Colin Meyer, Alan Rempel

Permafrost evolution

How does water flow and heat transport shape the landscape of suprapermafrost regions in the Arctic?

Collaborators: Joanmarie Delvecchio, Marisa Paluscis, Colin Meyer

Subglacial landforms

What can landforms in formerly glaciated areas tell us about the dynamics of past and present ice sheets? Do existing models for sediment transport produce the kinds of landforms we see?

Collaborators: Kelly Hogan, Alastair Graham, Alan Rempel, Dougal Hansen