Collaborative Research: Testing the Impact of Climate Change on the Greenland Ice Sheet: Combining Past Climate Records with a Coupled Climate and Ice-Sheet Model
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Project details
This project is aimed at understanding the response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to past climate changes, with the ultimate goal of improving predictions of its response to future change. The investigators will compile all available data on the size of the ice sheet at times in the past 20,000 years. They will also gather data on the history of surface air temperatures, the accumulation rate of ice, and surrounding ocean temperatures from ice- and sediment core records. The climate records will be used as inputs to a numerical model of the regional climate and the Greenland Ice Sheet to investigate the response of the ice sheet to changes in climate conditions. Direct observations of changes in the Greenland Ice Sheet only span the past few decades, making it difficult to identify a trend and distinguish it from natural variability. The relative roles of oceanic and atmospheric warming in driving Greenland Ice Sheet retreat also remain poorly constrained and debated. Ascertaining past Greenland Ice Sheet response to a warming climate can provide important bounds on the rates at which the ice sheet can retreat and lose mass. The last deglaciation (20 to 6 thousand years ago) provides a natural experiment for assessing large-scale Greenland Ice Sheet response to changing conditions including rising atmospheric carbon dioxide. Three fundamental questions will be addressed by this project. 1) What drove the disparate behavior between west-east margins and southern margins of the ice sheet during the last deglaciation and how does this relate to abrupt deglacial climate change? 2) What is the relative importance of atmospheric versus oceanic warming in causing rapid ice margin retreat during the last deglaciation? 3) Given the large, sustained deglacial climate warming, what is the maximum rate that the Greenland Ice Sheet has delivered ice to the ocean as constrained by the geologic record and how do those rates compare with ice-sheet model simulations? Addressing these questions will 1) provide essential insight into how the broader Greenland Ice Sheet behaves in a warming world, 2) test the sensitivity of terrestrial versus marine ice-margin settings to warming, and 3) test the fidelity of a Greenland Ice Sheet model that can be applied to future simulations. The investigators will disseminate scientific results to the public through lectures and publications in popular science magazines, and to museums with movies and animations on the Magic Planet visualization system. The project will train a postdoc and Ph.D. student (geochronology-data analysis and numerical modeling) in a multi-disciplinary approach to paleoclimatology, glaciology, glacial geology, and paleoceanography. Undergraduates will work on the project, with a goal of recruiting under-represented groups in the geosciences.
Title | Project start | End date | Organisation | Department | Project study region |
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GEUS Fjeldskredsscreening 2020 | 01.01.2020 | 31.12.2020 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Hidden habitats - what lurks beneath the Greenland seas? | 15.07.2020 | 24.07.2020 | Greenland Institute of Natural Resources (GINR) | Greenland Climate Research Centre | Greenland, South-West |
A 1.4 million year record of black carbon and biomass burning in the eastern Arctic from the Lake El'gygytgyn and other sediment cores (P2C2) | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Desert Research Institute | Desert Research Institute, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences | |
Cosmogenic surface exposure dating of Arctic NW Laurentide ice-sheet deglaciation: implications for abrupt climate change | 01.01.2019 | 31.12.2019 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
MOSAiC ACA / MOSAIC IceBird | 12.03.2020 | 10.09.2020 | Alfred-Wegener-Institut (AWI) | Arctic Ocean | |
Space Weather in Greenland | 01.06.2020 | 30.09.2020 | Technical University of Denmark (DTU) | DTU Space | Greenland, North-East |
Paleochronometry as a control problem for recovering holocene climate variations over the Greenland Ice Sheet | 01.01.2019 | 31.12.2022 | University of Texas at Austin | University of Texas at Austin, Department | |
UNAS | 01.05.2018 | 31.12.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Dimension Stone project | 17.01.2018 | 15.12.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
GEUS Fjeldskredscreening 2019 | 01.07.2019 | 25.08.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
NE Greenland 1:100,000 scale geological mapping | 01.01.2018 | 30.12.2020 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
NE Greenland 1:100,000 scale geological mapping | 15.07.2019 | 22.08.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms | 01.01.2019 | 31.12.2020 | University of Maine | University of Maine, Department | |
Baffin Bay Ice-Ocean-Sediment Interaction (BIOS) | 18.08.2019 | 09.09.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Baffin Bay | |
Upper Neoproterozoic to lower Palaeozoic stratigraphy and palaeontology of NE-Greenland | 01.08.2019 | 12.08.2019 | University of Copenhagen | Natural History Museum of Denmark | Greenland, North-East |
Dimension stones in Greenland | 28.05.2019 | 03.06.2019 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Measuring mantle hydrogen content to map ore-forming fluids and model plate tectonics | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Macquarie University | Macquarie University, dept. | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2020 | University of Idaho | University of Idaho, dept. | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of California | University of California, Irvine, dept. | Greenland, Mid-West |
NEEM basal ice, assessing the attributes of a cold, deep, dark ecosystem | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | Montana State University | Montana State University, dept. | |
Ethane measurements in Greenland ice cores: Developing a preindustrial record | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of California | University of California, Irvine, dept. | |
Greenland Ice Sheet Monitoring Network (GLISN) Operations | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2020 | Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) | Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS), dept. | Greenland, Mid-East |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Penn State University | Penn State University, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
EAGER: Exploring a community driven data-model framework for testing the stability of the Greenland Ice Sheet | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2019 | University at Buffalo | University at Buffalo, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University at Buffalo | University at Buffalo, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Neglected fluxes: Understanding the evolution of weathering as continental ice sheets retreat | 01.01.2016 | 31.12.2019 | University of Florida | University of Florida, Department of Geological Sciences | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of Montana | University of Montana, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: P2C2: Contributions of northern cold-climate peatlands and lakes to abrupt changes in atmospheric methane during the last deglaciation | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2016 | Penn State University | Penn State University, Department | |
Collaborative Research: P2C2 -- Statistical estimation of past ice sheet volumes from paleo-sea level records | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2015 | Rutgers University New Brunswick | Rutgers University New Brunswick, Department | |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | University of Colorado Boulder | University of Colorado Boulder, Department | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Collaborative Research: The fingerprint of abrupt temperature events throughout Greenland during the last glacial period | 01.01.2018 | 31.12.2021 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | Greenland Ice Sheet |
Collaborative Research: A new radiostratigraphy of the Greenland Ice Sheet and critical boundary conditions for the next generation of ice-sheet models | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Alaska | University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department | |
Relative velocity changes using ambient seismic noise at Okmok and Redoubt volcanoes, Alaska | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2015 | University of Wisconsin | University of Wisconsin, Madison, Space Science and Engineering Center | |
CO2 evasion from the Greenland ice sheet | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Northwestern University | Northwestern University, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: P2C2: Contributions of northern cold-climate peatlands and lakes to abrupt changes in atmospheric methane during the last deglaciation | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2016 | University of Alaska | University of Alaska Fairbanks, Department | |
Geophysical constraints on the crust and upper-mantle structure of Greenland (UPPA-GL) | 01.01.2013 | 31.12.2017 | Columbia University | Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory | Greenland, Mid-West |
Response of the Labrador Sea and south Greenland Ice Sheet to the mid-Pliocene climate optimum: sedimentary, magnetic and geochemical evidence from the Eirik Drift | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Collaborative Research: Testing the Impact of Climate Change on the Greenland Ice Sheet: Combining Past Climate Records with a Coupled Climate and Ice-Sheet Model | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | Columbia University | Columbia University, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory | Greenland, Mid-West |
CAREER: South Greenland's Holocene Climate History Reconstructed Using Three Paleolimnological Approaches | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2020 | Northwestern University | Northwestern University, Department | Greenland, Mid-West |
Workshop proposal: The future shape of a Greenland GNSS Observation Network | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2017 | Dartmouth College | Dartmouth College, Department | |
Collaborative Research: P2C2 -- Statistical estimation of past ice sheet volumes from paleo-sea level records | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2015 | Harvard University | Harvard University, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Rhode Island | University of Rhode Island, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | University of Michigan | University of Michigan, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice Core Studies Reconstructing Greenland Climate During the Eemian and Beyond | 01.01.2012 | 31.12.2014 | Oregon State University | Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences | |
Quantifying Greenland Iceberg Melt Rates using Remotely-sensed Data | 01.01.2014 | 31.12.2016 | University of Maine | University of Maine, Department | |
Collaborative Research: Ice sheet sensitivity in a changing Arctic system - using Geologic data and modeling to test the stable Greenland Ice Sheet hypothesis | 01.01.2015 | 31.12.2019 | University of Washington | School of Oceanography | Greenland, Mid-West |
Collaborative Research: What Controls Calving? A Greenland-wide Test of Terminus Change Mechanisms | 01.01.2017 | 31.12.2019 | University of Maine | University of Maine, Department | |
Upernavik - photogrammetric mapping | 27.08.2018 | 03.09.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-West | |
Saqqaq - photogrammetic mapping | 12.08.2018 | 26.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Mapping of glacial flour in the Nuuk region | 09.08.2018 | 28.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Dimension Stone project | 21.08.2018 | 04.09.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
NE Greenland 1:100 000 scale geological mapping 2018-2019 | 01.08.2018 | 27.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
UpDeep - Fieldwork 2018 | 03.07.2018 | 17.07.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Mapping the coastal zone of North East Greenland | 25.07.2018 | 15.08.2018 | Asiaq Greenland Survey | Remote Sensing | Greenland, North-East |
Maintenance of seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 04.08.2017 | 04.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-East | |
Maintenance of seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 10.08.2017 | 10.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland Ice Sheet | |
Establishment of new seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 09.08.2017 | 19.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Re-establishment of new seismic earthquake monitoring station in the GLISN network | 08.09.2017 | 10.09.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Skaergaard | 01.08.2017 | 15.09.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-East | |
HiTech AlkCarb | 22.06.2017 | 06.07.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, South-West | |
Permian–Triassic of East and Northeast Greenland: Evaluation of play analogues for the Norwegian continental shelf | 17.07.2018 | 23.08.2018 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, North-East | |
Saqqaq | 31.07.2017 | 05.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
A new geological map (Agatdal 50K) | 14.08.2017 | 28.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Relative sea level changes in Mestersvig | 18.04.2017 | 02.05.2017 | Aarhus University (AU) | Department of Geoscience | Greenland, North-East |
UpDeep | 24.07.2017 | 03.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West | |
Architecture and mineral potential of Karrat Group | 10.07.2017 | 03.08.2017 | Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) | Greenland, Mid-West |