Upper Mantle Dynamics and
Quaternary Climate in Cratonic Areas
International Lithosphere Program (ILP) Regional Co-ordination
Committee CC
1/5
Dynamic ice sheets, glaciology
Recent advances
in studies of the glacial history of the northern Europe and Eurasia
have significantly improved our understanding of the glaciation and
deglaciation histories during the Weichselian and Holocene epochs over
the past 100 ka. In addition, developing numerical modelling of
glaciations has opened a new view to the processes involved as well as
their mutual couplings. As a result, the latest generation of ice sheet
models are significantly better constrained and more realistic than
before. A collaborative project has been initiated on coupling
interactively a regional (flat) 3D high-resolution finite-element model
to a 3D thermomechanical ice-sheet model that includes ice shelves,
with a special interest to apply this to Northern Europe. Recently a
PhD-study has been completed on mantle xenoliths in the Caledonian
lithosphere domain along the west margin of North-west Europe. An
important aspect is to construct and improve coupled models of
glaciation and land uplift history, using both forward and inverse
modelling.
One task is to couple existing GIA uplift data, uplift models and the most recent geological and paleoclimatological data on glaciation history. Northern Europe and Russia provide a study area with several recent contributions. With the land uplift models, the sensitivity of uplift data on variations in ice thickness and duration should be quantified, at least for the period of the last deglaciation, i.e. from the Last Glacial Maximum at about 22 ka B.P. to the present time. Inverse modelling of glaciation history may be a potential new approach previously not applied.
One task is to couple existing GIA uplift data, uplift models and the most recent geological and paleoclimatological data on glaciation history. Northern Europe and Russia provide a study area with several recent contributions. With the land uplift models, the sensitivity of uplift data on variations in ice thickness and duration should be quantified, at least for the period of the last deglaciation, i.e. from the Last Glacial Maximum at about 22 ka B.P. to the present time. Inverse modelling of glaciation history may be a potential new approach previously not applied.