UNDERSTANDING HOLOCENE ICE SHEET VOLUMES FROM RELATIVE SEA LEVEL RECORDS
Seminars
Semester 1
The rapid transformation of the ocean–atmosphere–cryosphere system during the last deglaciation reveals critical insights into contemporary climate change, particularly regarding the dynamics of ice sheets and their contributions to sea-level change. Using past relative sea level records from different parts of the world, satellite data and geophysical modeling, my research strives to enhance our understanding of ice sheet history and their implications for global sea level rise.
Using a relative sea-level record from the Mississippi Delta, extending back to ~10,000 years integrated with global data and geophysical modeling, we show that approximately 14 meters of ice melt occurred in North America during the final phases of deglaciation—significantly more than previously estimated. Concurrently, the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, the largest reservoir of freshwater on Earth, is increasingly vulnerable to ice mass loss due to factors such as ocean heat flux and warming, highlighting the importance of understanding glacial isostatic adjustment. In the Amery Ice Shelf and Dronning-Maud Land, our research highlights the sensitivity of ice sheet dynamics in modeling both relative sea level and present-day vertical uplift.
For additional information, please contact Dr. Udita Mukherjee, udita@hku.hk