Glacier collapses, or glacier detachments, are sudden, massive failures of a glacier in which large sections break off completely and rapidly transform into extremely fast, highly destructive ice–rock mass flows. Although rare, these events have caused hundreds of fatalities and considerable damage up to tens of kilometres downvalley around the world. Detailed inventories are still missing, however, and the causes are not well understood, even though such events are being documented with increasing frequency.
This project is part of FieldEx and will focus on developing and analysing a geospatial database of glacier detachments in Alaska in order to identify high-risk areas for these catastrophic failures. While the project is primarily a GIS and data synthesis/analysis exercise—mapping converging lines of evidence across existing datasets and interpreting the data with respect to commonalities and possible causes—there is also potential to incorporate a limited fieldwork component.
You will be able to travel to Alaska to work with FieldEx partner Gabe Wolken in Fairbanks, Alaska, on the project and possibly also participate in other fieldwork in Alaska.
