2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report
Seismic noise as a proxy for glacier dynamics
| Project/Area Number |
18K18175
|
|---|
| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
|
| Allocation Type | Multi-year Fund |
|---|
| Review Section |
Basic Section 63010:Environmental dynamic analysis-related
|
|---|
| Research Institution | Hokkaido University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
|
| Keywords | glacier / seismicity / noise / Greenland / Himalayas / Antarctica / Arctic / icequake |
|---|
| Outline of Final Research Achievements |
Analysis of seismic records, accompanied by other observations near glaciers, offers a unique window into cryospheric processes. The project relied on and benefited from several previous and newly collected geophysical records collected by the PI and external colleagues on glaciers in Greenland, Antarctica, and Himalayas, known as the key glaciated areas of the world. Using such data, signal and image processing were performed, together with statistical, spectral and nonlinear time-series analysis and numerical modeling.
Thermal fracturing of ice was revealed by seismic noise. A co-seismic eruption of a subglacial discharge plume was discovered. A concept of using glacier-hydraulic acoustics for recognizing different englacial flow types was developed. Other cryoseismic signals and glacier-related processes were also studied during the project, such as due to a tide-modulated deformation and motion of ice. Results were published, presented, and highlighted by international news media.
|
| Free Research Field |
Geophysics
|
| Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements |
As today climate change and sea-level rise are the key challenges for the society, it is crucial to have a better understanding of processes taking place in rapidly retreating glaciers around the world. Deeper understanding of seismicity at glaciers provides an opportunity to improve our knowledge.
|
