Update

Now Archived! PolarConnect event with Lauren Adamo Neitzke and the research team on Sliding Glaciers from an overlook of the Rhone glacier in Switzerland on Thursday, 23 August 2018. You can access this and other events on the PolarConnect Archives site.

What Are They Doing?

The forefield of Castleguard Glacier, Alberta, Canada, Photo by Keith Williams
The forefield of Castleguard Glacier, Alberta, Canada, where the team made its first measurements using the terrestrial laser scanner in the foreground. Photo by Keith Williams
The team is developing mathematical relationships needed to predict the sliding speeds of glaciers and ice sheets. The uncertainty of these relationships, called sliding laws, introduces major uncertainty in the results of computer models aimed at predicting ice-sheet flow and associated sea-level rise. Improved sliding laws are developed by visiting forefields of seven receding glaciers in the Swiss Alps and measuring in detail the topography of their exposed former beds. This topography is then used as the basis for computer models of glacier sliding that allow sliding laws to be derived. The field site is not in a polar region but the team's work can help predict glacial change that may occur at the poles in the future.

Where Are They?

The forefield of Tsanfleuron, one of glaciers where the team will be working.

Latest Journals

See You Again Soon I am now back in NJ and mostly adjusted to this time zone. The past few days have been spent unpacking, sleeping, snuggling my kids, and wading through emails. With the new semester at Rutgers University starting next week, there was little time for me to readjust before…
An Entire Glacial Geology Course in One Trip This trip has been like an advanced and condensed version of a glacial geology and geomorphology course. I have studied many of the ice features and glacial landforms in my undergraduate and graduate career, and I even teach about them myself in my…
Walking on Thinning Ice I had so much anticipation going into today. Today is the day on my “Live Stream PolarConnect” event where we will be talking about our work to many classrooms and libraries. But it was also the day I had been waiting for since I found out I was chosen for the Sliding…
The Day I Redeemed Myself The target for the day was the forefield of the Allalin Glacier. We were all pretty happy to be heading to this one because we knew that the glacier and forefield were right next to the parking lot. This meant no long and grueling hike just to get to the forefield! I…
Dates
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Location
Valais Canton of Switzerland
Project Funded Title
Collaborative research: Development of sliding laws for glacier-flow and landscape-evolution models.
Lauren Neitzke Adamo - Educator
Educator
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Lauren Neitzke Adamo's interest in science and geology started at a young age while traveling to National Parks all over the country with her family. This love was further fostered while earning her undergraduate and doctorate degrees in Geological Sciences at Rutgers University, where her research focused on understanding the mechanisms and underlying causes of the abrupt climate change observed in sediment cores from North Atlantic Ocean over the last 200,000 years. She also spent much of her graduate career teaching science and geology to a variety of formal and informal audiences and was thrilled to accept a position at the Rutgers Geology Museum as the Associate Director in 2009 and as the Museum Director in 2016. This position allows her to combine her love of teaching, science, research, and dinosaurs through the implementation of various educational activities and programming for the Rutgers and New Jersey communities.

Neal Iverson - Researcher
Researcher
Iowa State University

Neal Iverson is the Smith Family Foundation Chair of the Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences at Iowa State University. His research is devoted primarily to understanding glaciers and the spectacular imprint they leave on the landscape. Glacier dynamics and landscape modification are particularly sensitive to processes at glacier beds, which is the focus of much of his effort.

This research involves field experiments at modern glaciers, field measurements in formerly glaciated landscapes, laboratory experiments, and the formulation of models aimed at characterizing glacial processes. He and some of his former students are the 2012 recipients of the Kirk Bryan Award, given by the Geological Society of America for research that advances the field of geomorphology. More information about Dr. Iverson can be found here

Lucas Zoet - Researcher
Researcher
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lucas (Luke) Zoet is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geoscience, and holds an appointment in Geological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His research largely focuses on understanding the physics of glacier motion through field observation, laboratory experiments, and theoretical analysis. His work largely sits at the intersection of glaciology and glacial geology. He uses a variety of geophysical and geological methods to explore glacial processes at both modern-day glaciers and landforms left behind by since melted glaciers.

Sliding Glaciers Resources

Overview

As technology advances, the way in which geologists study the Earth also advances. Some of these new technologies also make it possible to bring aspects of the field into the classroom. This opens up opportunities for broader audiences to explore a wider range of geologic structures and localities. Structure from motion (SfM) is one of these technologies that is

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Using New Technology to Study Climate Change

As science and technology continue to advance, the ways in which scientists and engineers study the surface of the Earth and how it will change in the future, changes along with it. The field of climate change science is continuing to benefit as advances in technology lead to a greater understanding of

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Lecture presented by Dr. Lucas Zoet at the Rutgers Geology Museum Open House on 01/26/2019 as part of the Sliding Glaciers PolarTREC project.

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The Science of the PolarTREC “Sliding Glaciers” Expedition

PolarTREC (Teachers and Researchers Exploring and Collaborating) is a program in which educators from the United States, both formal and informal (i.e. educators in museums, science centers, etc.) spend 3-6 weeks participating in hands-on field research experiences in the polar regions. The goal of PolarTREC is to invigorate polar science education and

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Rutgers Today daily online news features educator Lauren Neitzke Adamo and her PolarTREC expedition to the Swiss Alps.

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Educator Lauren Neitzke Adamo and researchers Dr. Lucas Zoet, Dr. Christian Helanow and Jacob Woodard discuss the science around "Sliding Glaciers". This event was broadcast live overlooking the Rhone glacier in Switzerland.

The Rutgers Geology Museum publication "Mastodon Musings" tells about the Museum Director's PolarTREC expedition in the Swiss Alps.

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PolarTREC teacher and Rutgers University Geology Museum Director, Dr. Lauren Neitzke Adamo featured in a news release in Rutgers Today and EOAS Website.

Article about Dr. Lauren Neitzke Adamo, co-director of the Rutgers University Geology Museum, and her upcoming expedition through PolarTREC, in the Swiss Alps to study the impact on glacier melting.

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