Using surface roughness to explore patterns of palaeo-fast glacier flow and landscape evolution in deglaciated terrain

Academic profile

Education

BSc in Physical Geography from Aberystwyth University, Wales, 2008-2011;
MSc in Glaciology from Aberystwyth University, Wales, 2011-2012.

Work Experience

I worked for just under two years in the Groundwater team and Asset Performance team at the Environment Agency, 2013-2015.

Skills and relevant qualifications

Measuring surface roughness from DEMs;
Calculating glacier velocity and surface elevation change using satellite imagery;
Mapping glacier and ice shelf structures.

 ACCE PhD Research topic

Using surface roughness to explore patterns of palaeo-fast glacier flow and landscape evolution in deglaciated terrain

My project is focussed on calculating surface roughness of palaeo ice stream beds. This will involve looking at lots of Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) of the UK to start with, and could potentially include fieldwork. Surface roughness is the change in elevation over a given horizontal distance, basically the wavelength of elevation along a transect. My work will increase our knowledge and understanding of surface roughness at the bed of ice streams, particularly its relationship with glacial landforms, and hopefully help to explain some of the behaviour seen in current ice streams on Antarctica and Greenland.