[12.571 / ESS] Earth Science Seminar – Kasia Warburton (University of Cambridge)

“Sediment transport beneath Antarctica”

The majority of ice in Antarctica reaches the ocean through fast-flowing ice streams, which slide over a layer of water-saturated subglacial sediment (till). Understanding the dynamics of the sediment is therefore key to understanding the behaviour of Antarctic glaciers. In this talk, I will discuss two ways to indirectly constrain ice-till interactions beneath ice sheets. First, I will describe how the morphology of tidally-modulated ribbed landforms observed close Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, constrain sediment fluxes and ice retreat rates in the recent past. I will then switch to the microscale, and describe recent laboratory experiments on particle transport beneath ice, and how they inform models of sliding at the glacier scale.

Earth Science Seminar —

Lecture portion of the EAPS graduate-level class 12.571, covering current research in geophysics, geology, geochemistry, and geobiology. All members of the MIT community are welcome to join for presentations by guest speakers, held approximately every two weeks during the term.

Contact: earth-science-seminar-info@mit.edu