Exploring beneath the surface of glacial landscapes : Implementing and improving geophysical investigations in glaciated environments

• The warming climate is having profound impacts on glacier dynamics and extents. To improve our predictions of future ice mass changes, we require an enhanced understanding of both past and present glacial processes. The physical properties and structure of glacial sediments and landforms aid reconstructions of past environments and ice dynamics on numerous scales. Traditionally, these factors have been studied using glacial geological techniques such as sedimentary logging. While this provides valuable in situ data, there are numerous limitations, namely the limited availability and spatial extent of exposures. In recent decades, near-surface geophysical techniques have gained in popularity within the fields of glaciology, geomorphology, and sedimentology. Geophysics offers a non-invasive means of obtaining spatially extensive data on substrate properties and architecture, however issues such as signal scattering and interpretation ambiguity in complex glaciated environments restrict its application.This thesis exemplifies how near-surface geophysical techniques can aid glacial landscape interpretations focusing on ground-penetrating radar, seismic refraction, and multi-channel analysis of surface waves. It explores the current limitations of the methods and outlines solutions to improve their applicability, in terms of geophysical campaign success, as well as uncertainty estimation and visualisation. The reliability of geophysical interpretations can be improved by including direct substrate observations in campaigns. Here, the benefits of performing detailed sediment logging alongside geophysical surveys are exemplified, together with descriptions and explanations of associated method adaptations.Through a combination of method updates and applied studies, this thesis highlights the great potential for geophysical techniques in improving our understanding of glacial processes and outlines potential avenues for further work in this area.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Naturgeografi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Physical Geography (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Geophysics

Glacial Geology

Glaciers

naturgeografi

Physical Geography

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

dok (subject category)