Higher Degree by Research Application Portal

This PhD project will develop and apply advanced numerical approaches to analyse subglacial sediment generation under conditions of rapid deglaciation. The project will develop an approach to define the expected sedimentary output when ice sheets collapse, and to map the impact on subglacial geomorphology. The new approach will be applied to glacial catchments in past and present ice sheets and will help to constrain ice sheet evolution and projections for the future of sea level and climate. The outcomes of this project will help to understand how to characterise rapid deglaciation events in the past and identify if they are happening under present climate change.

The PhD student will:

1) Develop novel numerical workflows to model subglacial sediment generation and transport

2) Apply this to selected examples from past and present ice sheets.

3) Express these results in the context of identifying rapid ice sheet deglaciation events

alan.aitken@uwa.edu.au

The student will have a background in Earth, Cryosphere or Ocean sciences, Geomorphology or Physical Geography.

The student will be able to engage in quantitative numerical and spatial analysis methods.