Chandrasekhar Hall

Challenges in Mathematical Modelling of Glaciers

James Ferguson

University of Zurich

Glaciers are a constant feature of polar and high mountain landscapes. They are a unique window into past climate, play an important role in the global water supply, determine a large part of future mean sea level rise, and in some regions represent a significant environmental hazard. And yet despite decades of in situ and remote sensing observations, there remain numerous open questions concerning the processes that govern glacier behaviour. In this talk, an overview of the theory of glacier physics is given, followed by a discussion of challenges facing three topical areas of research: marine terminating glaciers, surging glaciers, and debris-covered glaciers.