Cryosphere Dynamics

The course provides an in-depth understanding of the dynamics and thermodynamics of ice sheets with a focus on ice-climate interactions, such as ice-atmosphere, ice-ocean and ice-bedrock. Topics include: ice properties, continuum mechanics, ice deformation and flow, ice thermodynamics, ice sheet mass balance, ice-ocean interactions, subglacial processes and basal sliding, sea ice, and permafrost. Finally, the course treats current scientific topics on the role of ice sheets in the global climate system, such as sea level rise, marine ice sheet instability and tipping points.

The course aims at understanding the physical relations and feedbacks between and ice sheets and other components of the Earth System through a quantitative and qualitative analysis. It therefore relies on the mathematical description of the physics of ice sheets and their boundary conditions with the atmosphere, ocean and the underlying bed.

The course is split up in two parts, i.e., theory and practical work. The latter employs computer tools to understand the dynamics of ice masses on Earth through numerical modelling of several of these components. This encompasses ice sheet modelling, thermodynamical modelling and a sensitivity analysis of cie sheets with a changing climate.

References, bibliography, and recommended reading

References are available on UV and comprise the following books:

• Cuffey & Paterson (2010) The physics of glaciers
• Van der Veen (2013) Fundamentals of glacier dynamics
• Hooke (2005) Principles of glacier mechanics
• Greve & Blatter (2009) Dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets
• Fowler and Ng (2019) Glaciers and ice sheets in the climate system. The Karthaus summer school lecture notes.

Course notes

• Université virtuelle

Contacts

Frank Pattyn (frank.pattyn@ulb.be)

Campus

Solbosch

Method(s) of evaluation

• Personal work
• written examination
• Written report

Personal work

written examination

• Open question with developed answer
• Open question with short answer

Written report

Le titulaire se réserve le droit d’inviter tout étudiant.e à un entretien oral complémentaire afin de vérifier la maîtrise personnelle du contenu de l’examen remis, en particulier lorsque des incohérences constatées dans l’examen ne permettent pas au titulaire d’évaluer correctement le niveau de maîtrise des connaissances et des compétences visées par l’enseignement.

Mark calculation method (including weighting of intermediary marks)

The marks for the theory exam (1/2) and practical assessment (1/2) are weighted equally, provided that both marks are 8/20 or above.
If the student achieves a mark lower than 8/20 in either of these two parts, the final mark will be equal to the lower of the two marks.
If the student achieves a mark lower than 8/20 in both parts, the final mark will be a weighted average of the marks for the theory exam (1/2) and the practical exam (1/2).

Language(s) of evaluation

• english
• (if applicable french )