Solid Earth Response and Influence on Cryospheric Evolution
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SCAR Scientific Research Programme External Performance Review Solid Earth Response and influence on Cryospheric Evolution http://www.scar.org/srp/serce Authors Terry J. Wilson, Ohio State University, USA, [email protected] Main Contact: Terry J. Wilson, Ohio State University, USA, [email protected] Introduction Rationale for the Programme The Solid Earth Response and influence on Cryospheric Evolution (SERCE) scientific research programme aims to advance understanding of the interactions between the solid earth and the cryosphere to better constrain ice mass balance, ice dynamics and sea level change in a warming world. This overarching objective is being addressed through integrated analysis and incorporation of geological, geodetic and geophysical measurements into models of glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and ice sheet dynamics. The programme is designed to synthesize and integrate the extensive new geological and geophysical data sets obtained during and subsequent to the International Polar Year with modeling studies, in a timeframe to contribute to IPCC AR6. SERCE aims to provide the international collaborative framework and scientific leadership to investigate systems-scale solid earth – ice sheet interactions across Antarctica and relate these results to global earth system and geodynamic processes. Overview of Programme Activities SERCE has implemented a strategy to leverage the human and financial resources of the SRP by partnering with international groups with similar objectives to co-sponsor activities. This approach has been very productive, leading to a series of symposia, workshops and training schools of greater scope than could have been achieved by the SERCE SRP alone. Planning between contributing partners has inevitably led to changes in timing and/or revision of topic of some scheduled activities as summarized in the following table. A version of this table has been presented to the SCAR Executive Committee annually as SERCE’s implementation plan. YEAR WORKSHOP/SYMPOSIA THEME SESSION TRAINING OUTREACH Earth–Cryo Interactions Earth Structure/Modeling Logo ✔ 2012 SCAR OSC ✔ (SCAR OSC) ✔ Web site plan AGU ✔ ✗ Reconciling Observations and Models of Elastic and Complete Web 2013 Viscoelastic Deformation due to Ice Mass Change (w/ IAG, site ✗ Ilulissat, Greenland) ✔ GIA Training Earth–Cryo Interactions School Complete Web 2014 SCAR OSC ✔ Postponed to site ✗ 2015 Ice load changes and Earth Earth–Cryo Interactions • GIA Training Training Videos deformation ✔ EGU ✔ School ✔ on web ✔ • Autonomous 2015 IUGG ✔ Systems- Data archiving & exchange – ISAES Complete Web ✔ ISAES ✔ ISAES site ✗ ✗ The Antarctic ice sheet from Earth – Cryo. Cryoseismology past 2 future (w/ AntClim21, Interactions Training School Complete Web 2016 ISMASS & PAIS at SCAR Postponed to site SCAR OSC ✔ OSC) ✔ 2017 Separation of elastic and Cryoseismology Training Videos viscoelastic GIA signals (w/ Training School 2017 on web IAG, Reykjavik, Iceland) ✔ denotes completed. ✗ denotes delayed. 1 Deliverables and Milestones The SERCE SRP has the following specific programme objectives: • Convene thematic science symposia and workshops to bring together a cohort of investigators for knowledge exchange to propel the science of solid earth – cryosphere interactions beyond the current state of knowledge and contribute a body of new knowledge to the IPCC AR6 assessment. • Convene a series of expert workshops to improve data-model integration and produce synthetic science products based on extensive new geophysical data sets for Antarctica. • Carry out major efforts in capacity building, training and public outreach using complementary strategies to achieve technical capacity via information exchange, analytical capacity via training schools, engagement of new polar researchers via thematic science sessions, and public outreach via the world wide web. See also Appendix III – SERCE Terms of Reference. To meet these objectives, the SERCE SRP has carried out the activities summarized below during the 2012 – 2016 period. A. Ten Science Symposia convened: 1. SCAR Open Science Conference, Portland, 2012: Thematic Symposium: Solid Earth Response and Cryosphere Evolution 2. AGU December 2012: T025: Interactions Between the Solid Earth and Cryosphere Convenors: Terry Wilson, Rick Aster, Douglas Wiens. Selected as a ‘Hot Topic’ by AGU program committee. 11/25 presentations by student/early-career researchers (44%). 3. IAG/SERCE Symposium: Reconciling observations and models of elastic & viscoelastic deformation due to ice mass change; Ilulissat, Greenland; 30 May - 2 June, 2013 Convenors: Matt King, Abbas Khan This symposium attracted 60 scientists from across the globe, and gave the SERCE programme a significant profile beyond initial SCAR participants. Co-Sponsors of this symposium were: SCAR-SERCE SRP (provided the majority of travel funds ($25k) for students, early-career scientists, SCAR nation scientists); National Space Institute, Denmark (DTU Space); International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG); International Lithosphere Program (ILP); Upper Mantle Dynamics and Quaternary Climate in Cratonic Areas (DynaQlim); EGU (student travel funds); NSF (travel funds for U.S. scientists) 4. SCAR Open Science Conference, Auckland, New Zealand, August, 2014: Thematic Science Session: Solid Earth Response and Cryosphere Evolution Convenor: Terry Wilson 5. EGU General Assembly, April 2015: GD6.2/CR2.5 Geodynamic evolution of the polar regions and interaction with the cryosphere Conveners: Douglas Wiens, Terry J. Wilson, Karsten Gohl, Pippa Whitehouse 2 6. IAG/SERCE Symposium: Ice load changes and Earth deformation, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, USA, May 26-29, 2015 Convenors: Jeff Freymueller, Abbas Khan, Michael Bentley, Pippa Whitehouse and Matt King Sponsors: IAG sub-commission 3.2 “Cryospheric Deformation” and SCAR SERCE. SERCE funds supported travel expenses for early-career participants. This symposium brought together those working on ice load reconstructions, modelling of (visco-)elastic processes and comparison to relative sea level and geodetic observations (e.g. GRACE, GPS, ICESat, CRYOSAT II) in order to further refine understanding of past-to-present ice-ocean load changes, and the characteristics of the solid Earth under time-varying loads, in order to advance our understanding of past ice sheet and sea level changes, of the structure and rheology of Earth, and of exactly what geodetic measurements are measuring. 7. 26th IUGG General Assembly, June 22 – July 02, 2015: JG1 Dynamics of the Cryosphere from Geometric and Gravimetric Observations Convenors: Mirko Scheinert (TU Dresden) (IAG), Pippa Whitehouse (University of Durham) (IACS), Matt King (University of Tasmania) (IAG), Erik Ivins (NASA/JPL) (IAG) Session focus on advancing understanding of glacier, ice cap and ice sheet behaviour through a variety of synergistic combinations of geodetic methods with geological, geophysical and glaciological observation techniques, including the interdisciplinary use of a variety of observational techniques to understand the stability and evolution of the cryosphere and test numerical models. 8. XII SCAR International Antarctic Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science, Goa, India, 13- 17th July 2015; Thematic Symposium: Cryosphere – Solid Earth Interactions & Antarctic Geothermal Heat Flux, Subglacial Geology and Ice Dynamics Session Convenors: Terry Wilson, Ohio State University, USA; Samantha Hansen, Univ. of Alabama, USA; Wouter van der Wal, Univ. Delft, Netherlands; Chris Carson, Geoscience Australia; Sridhar Anandakrishnan, Penn State Univ., USA Presentations addressed fundamental interactions between the Antarctic ice sheet and the underlying Antarctic crust and mantle. This session included discussions of the sub- glacial heat flow (both mantle and crustal sources of heat), and its heterogeneity, across the Antarctic continent, and explored the potential ramifications of the magnitude and variability of heat flow on the dynamics ice sheet behaviour. 9. SCAR Open Science Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, *Future: August, 2016: Mini- Symposium: The Antarctic ice sheet from past 2 future Convenors: Catherine Ritz, France; Terry Wilson, USA; Nancy Bertler, New Zealand; Carlotta Escutia Dotti, Spain; Pippa Whitehouse, UK; Frank Pattyn, Belgium The past behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet is the key to understanding its present evolution and to improving our ability to make projections under climatic change. This session will bring together the various communities interested in the past/present/future evolution of the ice sheet, via both data and modeling approaches and focuses on the interface between the topics of the following sessions: Past Antarctic Ice Sheet Dynamics, Solid Earth Responses and Influences on Cryospheric Evolution, Glaciers 3 and Ice Sheet mass balance and Evolution of the physical and biological environment of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean over the 21st and 22nd centuries. 10. SCAR Open Science Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, *Future: August, 2016: Thematic Session: Solid earth responses and influences on cryospheric evolution Convenors: Thomas James, Canada; Terry Wilson, USA; Joachim Jacobs, Norway; Kristin Poinar, USA This SERCE session will explore new data and modeling studies bearing on any aspect of the interaction between the solid earth and ice sheets. Topics are expected to include crust and mantle structure beneath the ice sheets, mapping of earth properties and their variations through seismological and other