University at Buffalo (UB)
Ice Flow Change in an Eastern Greenland Fjord System
The glacier system to be studied. In the upper left of this photo, note how ice flows over and through other glaciers. This is very unusual! Most glaciers look like the glacier at the bottom of this photo, where ice flows together neatly and doesn't cross itself.
Use Google Earth Engine to explore and analyze recent changes in an unusual system of interlocking glaciers in Eastern Greenland: the Glacier de France system.
Project description
In this project, you will explore recent changes in an unusual system of interlocking glaciers in Eastern Greenland: the Glacier de France system. Here, ice strangely flows through glacier "intersections" on its way to the sea, and the paths of ice flow have shifted over the past decades. You will use Google Earth Engine to analyze satellite photos of this glacier system since 1980 and identify changes in ice flow direction. You will next have the option to use a computer-based glacier model to investigate possible causes of the changes you identified. The results of your work will help scientists and society forecast global sea-level rise from climate change, and better understand how glaciers flow.
Project outcome
This project will culminate in a written scientific report that may be submitted for publication to a peer-reviewed scientific journal. It can also culminate in a research poster presentation at a scientific conference.
Project details
| Length of commitment | About a semester (3-5 months) |
| Start time | Anytime |
| Level of collaboration | Individual student project |
| Benefits | Academic credit, work study |
| Who is eligible | Students who have taken GLY101, 102 or 103 |
Udall and Goldwater Scholarships
Students participating in this project might be interested in and eligible for the Udall Scholarship and the Goldwater Scholarship. Connect with the Office of Fellowships and Scholarships to learn more.
Project mentor
Kristin Poinar
Assistant Professor
Geology
Start the project
- Email the project mentor using the contact information above to express your interest and get approval to work on the project. (Here are helpful tips on how to contact a project mentor.)
- After you receive approval from the mentor to start this project, click the button to start the digital badge. (Learn more about ELN's digital badge options.)
Preparation activities
Once you begin the digital badge series, you will have access to all the necessary activities and instructions. Your mentor has indicated they would like you to also complete the specific preparation activities below. Please reference this when you get to Step 2 of the Preparation Phase.
- Read this paper, which describes the Google Earth Engine tool you will use: The Google Earth Engine Digitisation Tool (GEEDiT) and the Margin change Quantification Tool (MaQiT) – simple tools for the rapid mapping and quantification of changing Earth surface margins by James M. Lea and write a one-paragraph summary of how GEEDiT works and what the authors accomplished using GEEDiT. You don't need to include anything about MaQiT.
- Sign up for an account at Google Earth Engine by clicking "Sign Up" in the top right corner of the webpage.