Master's thesis topics are available that investigate glacier changes in response to climate change at local, regional or global scales.
For example, you can use the global glacier model PyGEM (written in Python), which has been developed to simulate changes in glacier mass and runoff for entire glacier regions based on temperature and precipitation data. The model is well-documented and easy to learn and can be used for many purposes:
For example, you can contribute to one or several of the following topics: a) make projections of glacier mass and discharge for the next century, b) reconstruct mass balances for the last decades, c) investigate the effect of using different input data sets or different parameterizations, d) validate model results by comparing to observations, e) assess the effect of debris cover on glacier melt, and f) evaluate the effect of glacier changes on seasonal and annual streamflow and hazards. We also work on improving the modelling using machine learning. You can also contribute to this effort.
The exact topic can be tailored to your interests and background. You will gain experience in numerical modelling, and handling large data sets including gridded climate data and/or remote sensing data. You will be part of and well-supported by a large glacier modeling group supported by a grant from the European Union which focuses on global glacier mass balance modelling.
