Open-ocean polynyas in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica are the product of deep convection, which transports Warm Deep Water (WDW) to the surface and melts sea ice or prevents its formation. These polynyas occur only rarely in the... more
Open-ocean polynyas in the Weddell Sea of Antarctica are the product of deep convection, which transports Warm Deep Water (WDW) to the surface and melts sea ice or prevents its formation. These polynyas occur only rarely in the observational record but are a near-permanent feature of many climate and ocean simulations. A question not previously considered is the degree to which the Weddell polynya affects the nearby Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf (FRIS) cavity. Here we assess these effects using regional ocean model simulations of the Weddell Sea and FRIS, where deep convection is imposed with varying area, location, and duration. In these simulations, the idealized Weddell polynyas consistently cause an increase in WDW transport onto the continental shelf as a result of density changes above the shelf break. This leads to saltier, denser source waters for the FRIS cavity, which then experiences stronger circulation and increased ice shelf basal melting. It takes approximately 14 years fo...
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Abstract Major outlet glaciers in the Greenland Ice Sheet have experienced rapid fluctuations in speed and discharge over the last decade. The triggering mechanism of abrupt speed-up events is not firmly established, but synchronous... more
Abstract Major outlet glaciers in the Greenland Ice Sheet have experienced rapid fluctuations in speed and discharge over the last decade. The triggering mechanism of abrupt speed-up events is not firmly established, but synchronous occurrences and ...
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Research Interests: Geology and Sedimentology
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The recent acceleration of Greenland outlet glaciers shows that flow speeds can respond sensitively to changes of calving front positions, but little is known about the seasonality and range of margin position changes. To investigate the... more
The recent acceleration of Greenland outlet glaciers shows that flow speeds can respond sensitively to changes of calving front positions, but little is known about the seasonality and range of margin position changes. To investigate the geographical extent ...
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Dust is a major environmental factor on the surface and in the atmosphere of Mars. Knowing the electrical charge state of this dust would be of both scientific interest and important for the safety of instruments on the Martian surface.... more
Dust is a major environmental factor on the surface and in the atmosphere of Mars. Knowing the electrical charge state of this dust would be of both scientific interest and important for the safety of instruments on the Martian surface. In this study the first measurements have been performed of dust electrification using suspended Mars analogue material. This has been
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... C S Dyer, C Sanderson, R Mugford, C Watson, C Peerless ... The solar particles were no longer present at orbit 592 shown in figure 9. However the ensuing geomagnetic storm had pumped up the outer electron belt to such an extent 7 Page... more
... C S Dyer, C Sanderson, R Mugford, C Watson, C Peerless ... The solar particles were no longer present at orbit 592 shown in figure 9. However the ensuing geomagnetic storm had pumped up the outer electron belt to such an extent 7 Page 3. ...
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Abstract Major outlet glaciers in the Greenland Ice Sheet have experienced rapid fluctuations in speed and discharge over the last decade. The triggering mechanism of abrupt speed-up events is not firmly established, but synchronous... more
Abstract Major outlet glaciers in the Greenland Ice Sheet have experienced rapid fluctuations in speed and discharge over the last decade. The triggering mechanism of abrupt speed-up events is not firmly established, but synchronous occurrences and ...