About the Project
About the award
This project is one of a number that are in competition for funding from the NERC Great Western Four+ Doctoral Training Partnership (GW4+ DTP). The GW4+ DTP consists of the Great Western Four alliance of the University of Bath, University of Bristol, Cardiff University and the University of Exeter plus six Research Organisation partners: British Antarctic Survey, British Geological Survey, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, the Met Office, the Natural History Museum and Plymouth Marine Laboratory. The partnership aims to provide a broad training in earth and environmental sciences, designed to train tomorrow’s leaders in earth and environmental science. For further details about the programme please see http://nercgw4plus.ac.uk/
Location: Streatham Campus, Exeter
Project description:
Reconstructing the history of glacial advance and retreat in sub-polar regions peripheral to Antarctica’s ice sheets is important for establishing far-field constraints on ice-sheet models, for understanding the past forcing and magnitude of climate variability, and for interpreting the evolution and biodiversity of modern sea-floor fauna. However, to-date, most sub-Antarctic islands have received little attention especially in areas of shallow continental shelf that surround these localities. As a consequence, the history of sub-Antarctic glaciations remains poorly understood. Particular debate has centered on the extent and timing of past glaciations on South Georgia. Recent studies have converged on the interpretation that the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) ice cap was extensive on the continental shelf and was followed by several down-fjord readvances during the last termination. However, understanding of the number, magnitude, and timing of Pleistocene glaciations still remains poor, and the proposed pattern of ice-cap behaviour at and since the LGM requires further testing.
Project Aims and Methods
This PhD project will build upon a foundation laid down by three recent studies (Graham et al. 2017, Barlow et al. 2016, and Barnes et al. 2016), to test, refine and extend current understanding of Pleistocene glaciation and climate variability on South Georgia, using existing and recently acquired marine geoscientific datasets.
It is anticipated that the project will focus initial attention on three discrete but inter-connected studies that can each form independent PhD papers/chapters : (1) the shelf record of past glaciation as recorded in both the detailed bathymetry, landforms and sub-surface from the Cumberland Trough, north of South Georgia; (2) the geophysical architecture of cross-shelf trough sedimentary fills; (3) marine sedimentary records of Holocene ice and climate variability from the inner shelf and near-coastal fjords. The candidate will work with and analyse already recovered multibeam bathymetric data, sub-bottom profiler data, and marine sediment cores from the fjords and continental shelf. They will combine a range of geophysical and geological techniques during their PhD, which are likely to include acoustic facies analysis, isopach mapping, sediment facies analysis, x-ray and XRF core scanning, physical properties analysis, radiocarbon dating, clay mineralogy, and stable isotope analysis.
Candidate
The project would suit a candidate with strong interests in glacial geology and the Antarctic; ideally with prior experience of marine geological and/or geophysical data analysis. Where feasible, fieldwork may form part of the project so a willingness to participate in marine geoscientific expeditions is desirable.
Training
The student will receive specific training in the following areas:
- Marine geophysical data handling and processing, specifically multibeam echo sounder data
- Use of SeNt and TOPAS software for read, processing, and display of Atlas Parasound/TOPAS sub-bottom profiler data
- Use of SMT Kingdom suite seismic software for the 3D interpretation of sub-surface data
- Marine sediment core description, sampling, and analytical techniques
- Application of radiocarbon geochronology in Antarctic marine environments
- Glacial and marine geological theory and interpretations
- Advanced GIS skills for analysis of marine datasets
- Paper writing, conference oral and poster presentation skills
Funding Notes
The studentships will provide funding for a stipend which is currently £14,553 per annum for 2017-2018, research costs and UK/EU tuition fees at Research Council UK rates for 42 months (3.5 years) for full-time students, pro rata for part-time students.
References
Graham AGC, Kuhn G, Meisel O, Hillenbrand C-D, Hodgson DA, Ehrmann W, Wacker L, Wintersteller P, dos Santos Ferreira C, Römer M, et al (2017). Major advance of South Georgia glaciers during the Antarctic Cold Reversal following extensive sub-Antarctic glaciation. Nature Communications, 8, 14798-14798.
Barlow NLM; Bentley MJ; Spada G; Evans DJA; Hansom JD; Brader MD; White DA; Zander A; Berg S (2016). Testing models of ice cap extent, South Georgia, sub-Antarctic, Quaternary Science Reviews, 154, 157-168.
Barnes, David K.A., Sands, Chester J., Hogg, Oliver T., Robinson, Ben J.O., Downey, Rachel V., Smith, James A. (2016). Biodiversity signature of the Last Glacial Maximum at South Georgia, Southern Ocean. Journal of Biogeography, 43, 2391-2399.
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