ESEX COMMENTARY
How can geomorphology facilitate a better understanding of glacier and ice sheet behaviour?
Richard S. Jones,
Lauren E. Miller,
Matthew J. Westoby,
Corresponding Author
Richard S. Jones
Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Correspondence
Richard S. Jones, Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLauren E. Miller
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMatthew J. Westoby
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
Search for more papers by this authorRichard S. Jones,
Lauren E. Miller,
Matthew J. Westoby,
Corresponding Author
Richard S. Jones
Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
Correspondence
Richard S. Jones, Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future, School of Earth Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
Email: [email protected]
Search for more papers by this authorLauren E. Miller
Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
Search for more papers by this authorMatthew J. Westoby
School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
Search for more papers by this authorFirst published: 02 July 2024
Abstract
Glaciers and ice sheets are an integral part of Earth's system, advancing and retreating in response to changes in climate. Clues about the past, present and future behaviour of these ice masses are found throughout current and former glaciated landscapes. In this commentary, we outline recent scientific advances from a collection of articles in which geomorphological evidence is used to inform us about the behaviour of glaciers and ice sheets across a range of spatial (landform to continent) and temporal (seasons to millennia) scales. Through a diversity of approaches including field measurements, remote sensing and numerical modelling, these studies build on an extensive background literature to deepen our understanding of how ice flows, how glaciers and ice sheets respond to climate change, and of the processes of ice advance and retreat and the stability of the system. Further integration of knowledge across the fields of geomorphology and glaciology will have tangible benefits for managing the societal and environmental impacts of glacier change and for improved projections of sea-level rise over the coming decades to centuries.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
We declare no conflicts of interest.
Open Research
DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT
Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed for the commentary.
Supporting Information
| Filename | Description |
|---|---|
| esp5932-sup-0001-ESPL_SI_summary_table.xlsxExcel 2007 spreadsheet , 12.5 KB |
Table S1. Articles published as part of this Special Issue. |
Please note: The publisher is not responsible for the content or functionality of any supporting information supplied by the authors. Any queries (other than missing content) should be directed to the corresponding author for the article.
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