Evolution and morphodynamics of proglacial environments

冰期环境的演化和形态动力学

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-04207
• 负责人: Shugar, Daniel
• 金额: $ 2.55万
• 依托单位: University of Calgary
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=755108
• 关键词: Evolution; morphodynamics; proglacial; environments

Melting glaciers are often cited as one of the most striking visual indications of a warming world, and for good reason: glacier melt will drive major changes in timing and magnitude of flows in glacier-fed rivers, impacting fisheries habitat, freshwater availability for irrigation and drinking water, and global sea levels. While Canada supports a robust program of glaciology research, there is substantially less effort dedicated to understanding how contemporary glacier change is impacting the surrounding landscapes. This is not surprising - glacial lakes and the surrounding terrain are difficult to study for a variety of reasons. Their remoteness raises logistical concerns, for example how to deploy instruments in lakes where boats can't be driven to. Exciting developments in sensor technology, autonomous systems, and remote sensing, now allow us to study these landscapes as never before, and even allow us to ask completely new and exciting questions. The proposed research tackles a series of interrelated questions in understanding glacial lake dynamics, all ultimately motivated by a desire to mitigate the hazards posed by these often-ephemeral lakes, and to understand how lakes affect glacier mass loss. We will study these systems at a range of scales, from global to local. First, we will evaluate the drivers of glacial lake evolution on a global scale by examining climate histories, glacier dynamics, and other factors. Second, we will quantify glacier calving and lake circulation with detailed, site investigations. Last, we will examine how glacier-fed turbidity currents interact with lakebed topography, and how they are recorded in the sedimentary record.

融化冰川通常被认为是变暖世界中最引人注目的视觉迹象之一，这有充分的理由：冰川融化将推动冰川喂养的河流中的时机和流量的重大变化，影响渔业的居住，灌溉和灌溉和淡水的可用性饮用水和全球海平面。尽管加拿大支持一项强大的冰川研究计划，但努力却大大减少了了解当代冰川变化如何影响周围景观。这不足为奇 - 出于多种原因，冰川湖和周围地形很难研究。他们的遥远性引起了后勤问题，例如如何在无法驱动船只的湖泊中部署工具。传感器技术，自主系统和遥感的激动人心的发展，现在可以让我们研究这些景观，甚至使我们能够提出全新而令人兴奋的问题。拟议的研究解决了一系列相互关联的问题，以理解冰川湖动力学，最终都是出于渴望减轻这些经常被灭绝的湖泊带来的危害的愿望，并了解湖泊如何影响冰川质量损失。我们将在从全球到本地的一系列尺度上研究这些系统。首先，我们将通过检查气候历史，冰川动力学和其他因素来评估冰川湖进化的驱动因素。其次，我们将通过详细的现场调查来量化冰川产犊和湖泊循环。最后，我们将研究冰川喂养的浊流如何与湖泊的地形相互作用，以及如何在沉积记录中记录它们。