Register now After registration you will be able to apply for this opportunity online.
This opportunity is not published. No applications will be accepted.
Where in Antarctica should we look for the world’s oldest ice?
So far, the quest for finding old ice on the Antarctic ice sheet has mostly relied on vertical deep drilling efforts. However, in some of the ice sheet’s blue ice areas, old ice directly appears at the surface. Will you help us identifying where to find the world’s oldest surface ice?
Keywords: glaciology, Antarctica, ice sheet, old ice, blue ice, palaeoclimate, ice flow, numerical modelling, remote sensing
From 1,200,000 to 800,000 years ago, the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT) occurred, during which the duration of glacial cycles changed from a ∼41,000 to a ∼100,000 kyr periodicity. Various international efforts are now trying to identify vertical drilling locations where ice from the MPT and older time periods is present at great depth (i.e. close to the bedrock). An alternative approach consists of finding locations where this old ice is directly accessible in blue ice areas (BIAs), where ablation and subglacial obstacles ‘push’ old ice towards the surface of the ice sheet. Collecting old ice in BIAs is logistically far less expensive than for deep drilling efforts and allows for large quantities of ice to be collected. Moreover, the ice collected in BIAs can potentially be older than the ice collected through vertical deep drilling efforts.
From 1,200,000 to 800,000 years ago, the Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT) occurred, during which the duration of glacial cycles changed from a ∼41,000 to a ∼100,000 kyr periodicity. Various international efforts are now trying to identify vertical drilling locations where ice from the MPT and older time periods is present at great depth (i.e. close to the bedrock). An alternative approach consists of finding locations where this old ice is directly accessible in blue ice areas (BIAs), where ablation and subglacial obstacles ‘push’ old ice towards the surface of the ice sheet. Collecting old ice in BIAs is logistically far less expensive than for deep drilling efforts and allows for large quantities of ice to be collected. Moreover, the ice collected in BIAs can potentially be older than the ice collected through vertical deep drilling efforts.
In thesis, the age of all the ice present at the surface of BIAs in Antarctica will be estimated. The final goal is to produce a continent-wide map with estimates on the age of the surface ice. For this, the candidate will perform an in-depth literature review on previously sampled and dated BIAs. Based on this, other BIAs that share the same characteristics will be identified. To estimate the age of the ice in all BIAs, information from various datasets at hand will be combined, which may be complemented with an ice flow modelling approach to estimate the trajectory and age of ice present at the surface of BIAs. This project has a pronounced interdisciplinary character and will rely on a variety of techniques, such as numerical modelling and remote sensing.
In thesis, the age of all the ice present at the surface of BIAs in Antarctica will be estimated. The final goal is to produce a continent-wide map with estimates on the age of the surface ice. For this, the candidate will perform an in-depth literature review on previously sampled and dated BIAs. Based on this, other BIAs that share the same characteristics will be identified. To estimate the age of the ice in all BIAs, information from various datasets at hand will be combined, which may be complemented with an ice flow modelling approach to estimate the trajectory and age of ice present at the surface of BIAs. This project has a pronounced interdisciplinary character and will rely on a variety of techniques, such as numerical modelling and remote sensing.
For further information please contact Dr. Harry Zekollari (zharry@ethz.ch) or Prof. Dr. Daniel Farinotti (daniel.farinotti@ethz.ch)
For further information please contact Dr. Harry Zekollari (zharry@ethz.ch) or Prof. Dr. Daniel Farinotti (daniel.farinotti@ethz.ch)