Glacier Erosion

Glaciers are not only awe-inspiring natural phenomena but also play a crucial role in shaping the earth's cryosphere. The sheer erosive power of glaciers sculpts landscapes into stunning vistas, leaving behind their mark on the climate system, downstream ecosystems, and sediment distribution in cold regions. In partnership with my collaborators, I have both led and assisted an array of studies, ranging from laboratory experiments to multiple field campaigns in southeast Alaska (Bench Glacier and Denver Glacier), to better understand the controls on glacier erosion.

Our experiments explore various factors, such as subglacial rock friction at the ice bed interface, energy expenditure through glacial erosion, and determining an "abrasion law" for use in numerical simulations of landscape evolution. Furthermore, our fieldwork has enabled us to study sediment and cation flux through proglacial streams and erosion rates over the Holocene by analyzing the production of cosmogenic nuclides. With several upcoming results, keep an eye out for more exciting discoveries from our research!