Current research projects, Spring 14

The current major research effort involves a field campaign of drilling in Greenland, with the objective of elucidating the coupling between the basal conditions, in particular the basal hydrology, and ice dynamics. In short, investigating the poorly known physics of ice sliding in an icesheet setting.

Current projects:

· 2013-2015, “Partitioning the motion of the Greenland Icesheet between Basal Sliding and Internal Deformation”, NSF, a field study to create and install next generation sensors to study the dynamics of ice flow in the ablation region of Greenland. At least 3 students (PhD and MS) are needed for this project.

· 2013-2014, “Basal sliding studies, Greenland”, GAP-SKB and NAGRA, a piggy-back project to continue our GAP work. One student will be recruited for this project.

Recent projects:

· 2009-2013, “Proof of the drill”, basal conditions and ice dynamics, West Greenland, National Science Foundation. This project needs at least 2 graduate students, at least one PhD and/or one Masters.

· 2009-2013, “Greenland Analog Project”; characteristics of the basal water pressure field under an analog continental type ice sheet. Funded by the SKB consortium. This project overlaps and is synergistic with the NSF drilling project. This projects needs an additional 2 students minimum.

· 2007-2010, Mountain Glacier Hydrology in coastal Alaska. This NSF funded project continues to investigate the hydrology of the Bench Glacier in Alaska, with the current focus on radar investigations of the englacial hydrology. This project is winding down, but has produced a large amount of data which would be suitable for a student to analyze for a thesis on glacial hydrology. TA type funding is available.

· 2008-2010, Anastomosing rivers, this state funded project seeks to determine the mechanisms controlling the development of anastomosing rivers, which are poorly understood and common in the Front Range region. A potential student project.

In addition there are ongoing studies in glacial landscape erosion and modeling, river frazil ice studies and large-scale river evolution models.

Questions: neil@uwyo.edu or visit http://faculty.gg.uwyo.edu/neil