Amber Leeson, Katie Miles, Mal McMillan

Project Description

During the summer months, supraglacial hydrological features, including lakes, streams and slush, form on the surface of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. These features are important for the stability of ice shelves – floating extensions of the ice sheet that extend into the ocean – for two main reasons. First, glacial hydrological features can only form where more melting occurs than can be absorbed by surface snow, and are thus an important indicator that the ice shelf has reached, or is near to, its limit of viability with respect to climate change. Second, when supraglacial lakes fill and drain, they can contribute directly to instability by creating cracks that penetrate through the ice shelf, potentially creating icebergs. Such a mechanism is thought to have been the trigger for the complete collapse of Larsen B Ice Shelf in 2002. However, if lakes fill and drain up-glacier where ice sits on rock rather than water (i.e., above the grounding line), water drained to the glacier bed can lubricate ice flow and increase flux into the ice shelf, potentially increasing contributions to global sea level rise. Supraglacial lake drainage events have been shown to impact ice flow in Greenland; and there is recent evidence that this phenomenon may also occur on the Antarctic Peninsula.

This PhD project will develop a continent-wide surface hydrology dataset through the application of machine learning methods to optical satellite imagery in Google Earth Engine. The new dataset will then be used to advance understanding of the dynamics of supraglacial hydrology in Antarctica, for example, the influence of extreme weather events such as atmospheric rivers, which result in short periods of enhanced melt for Antarctic ice shelves. By investigating the covariance between supraglacial hydrological features and extreme melt events, we will tackle research questions such as: Do extreme melt events precondition Antarctica’s ice shelves for future meltwater ponding? And Will more of Antarctica’s ice shelves be susceptible to meltwater ponding in the future? The dataset will also be used to investigate patterns of lake drainage above and below the grounding line in order to understand the relationship between the development of supraglacial hydrology and the potential for triggering ice shelf collapse and destabilisation. This will answer research questions such as: ‘Do draining supraglacial lakes cause long-term damage to ice shelves?’ And ‘Do lakes that drain above the grounding line speed up ice sheet flow?’.

The PhD will be based in the Polar Science research group at Lancaster University and will directly contribute to the European Space Agency funded 5D Antarctica (5DA) project. The student will actively participate in the 5DA project as part of the science team, and will have further opportunities for wider networking through the group’s affiliation with the national Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling and the Centre for Excellence in Environmental Data Science. The successful student will also gain international teaching experience at the Lancaster University College at Beijing Jiaotong University, which provides part of the funding for the studentship.

Please direct informal enquiries to Amber Leeson on a.leeson@Lancaster.ac.uk.

General eligibility criteria

Enthusiasm, independence, self-motivation, curiosity and the ability to communicate to a range of audiences are all distinctly advantageous qualities for a PhD. Applicants would normally be expected to hold a minimum of a UK Honours degree at 2:1 level or equivalent in a relevant degree course. However, applicants who have gained experience in relevant fields through non-traditional routes are strongly encouraged to apply. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates, candidates who are in the first generation of their family to go to university, candidates who have been in care or who have been a young carer, and candidates from a low-income background.

Project specific criteria

A master's or equivalent qualification, or close to completion, in a physical science discipline (e.g. Geoscience, Environmental Science, Data Science, Physics) and a demonstrable interest in polar science is required. Independent research and coding experience are desirable.

Studentship funding

Full studentships (UK tuition fees and stipend (£19,237 2024/25 [tax free])) for UK students for 3.5 years. Note that this opportunity is not open to international applicants.

Dates

Deadline for applications: 31^st January 2025

Provisional Interview Date: to be confirmed

Start Date: April 2025

Application process

1. Download the LEC Funded PhD Application Form and LEC Funded PhD Reference Form‌.
2. Complete the Application Form, renaming the document with your 'Name and Application Form' e.g., Joe Bloggs Application Form.
3. Submit the completed Application Form and a CV to lec.pgr.applications@lancaster.ac.uk
4. Please note only Word or pdf files are accepted.
5. Rename the referee form with your ‘Name and Reference’, e.g., Joe Bloggs Reference. Send the renamed reference form to two referees and request them to forward the referee document to lec.pgr.applications@lancaster.ac.uk
6. Please note only Word or pdf files are accepted. It is important that you ensure references are submitted by the closing date or as soon as possible.
7. You will receive a generic acknowledgement in receipt of successfully sending the application documents.
8. Please note that only applications submitted as per these instructions will be considered.
9. Please note that, if English is not your first language, you will be required to provide evidence of your proficiency in English. This evidence is only required if you are offered a funded PhD and is not required as part of this application process.
10. Please note that, if you do not hear from us within four weeks of the closing date then you have been unsuccessful on this occasion. If you would like feedback on your application, please contact the supervisors of the project.

Submit all applications and references to this email address: lec.pgr.applications@lancaster.ac.uk