Antarctic Lecture: Vibrations on Earth's Largest Ice Shelf

7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Old Town Library
Large Meeting Room Combo

Event Details

Ice shelves are critical components of the Antarctic glacial system that restrain the glacial transport of ice from the interior, and thus retard landward ice sheet contributions to global sea level rise. They are also fragile in the face of climate change, and I will summarize the crucial stability issues. Ice shelves are incessantly shaken by ocean, wind, glaciological processes, and even, sporadically, by earthquakes or “ice quakes”. I will relate new discoveries from the Ross Ice Shelf, a Texas-sized expanse of floating glacial ice which is the largest such structure on Earth. In particular, I’ll review recent results from a unique two-year study of Ross seismic and vibrational signals using sensitive seismographs, including newly discovered wind-excited “Firn Modes” that offer a novel way to monitor near-surface snow and ice conditions and changes on a continuous basis.
Event Type(s): Programs
Age Group(s): Adults
Presenter: Rick Aster
Jewels
(970) 221-6740