Research interests
My research focuses on field glaciology, specialising in borehole-based investigations of glacier hydrology and the three-dimensional physical character of ice masses, including near-surface firn, basal ice, and links between glacier motion and hydrology.
My approach has been (i) to drill boreholes in ice using pressurised hot water and, once drilled, (ii) to use that access to investigate physical properties and processes within the ice and at the ice-bed interface. These investigations are based on geophysical borehole logging (with a particular focus on optical televiewing [OPTV]), sensor string installation and, recently, high-resolution distributed sensing along fibre-optic cables. These at-a -site investigations are generally supplemented by spatially extensive surface geophysical investigations, generally by radar or seismic survey.
I have undertaken borehole-based process glaciological research in many of Earth's glacierised regions, including: East Antarctica (King Baudouin Ice Shelf), the Antarctic Peninsula (Larsen C Ice Shelf), Canada (Donjek Glacier), European Alps (Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Tsanfleuron Glacier), Greenland (NEEM deep ice coring site, Sermeq Kujalleq/Store Glacier), Nepal (Khumbu Glacier), Norway (Hardangerjøkulen), and Svalbard (Midre Lovénbreen, Knoppbreen, Kronebreen).
I also study processes associated with glacier-like forms located in the mid-latitude regions of Mars.
Supporting equipment
BOREHOLE DRILLING
We drill in ice using pressurised hot water and have various systems with the capability to drill boreholes up to ~1.1 km long. These systems are generally modular (based on linking individual pump-heater units in parallel) to maximise field portability and thereby allowing multiple boreholes to be drilled to recreate spatial fields of the properties being measured.
BOREHOLE LOGGING
Borehole logging equipment available to projects is based on that manufactured by Robertson Geologging Ltd, and includes:
Winches:
150/175 m mini winch; 600 m winch, 3,000 m winch
Micro-loggers:
RG MicroLogger II
Borehole sondes:
HiOPTV; GeoEye (directional video); full waveform triple sonic (TRSS); electrical/resistivity (ELog); conductivity & temperature (CT); water sampler; 3-arm caliper.
We also have a fibre-optic-based distributed temperature sensing (DTS) system manufactured by Silixa Ltd. This allows ice and/or water temperature to be recorded at a vertical (in a borehole) resolution of 25 mm over total lengths of several km.
3DICE WORKSHOP
we can construct and assemble borehole multi-component units and sensor strings in our dedicated 3DIce Workshop in the grounds of Aberystwyth University. The Workshop includes a fully-fitted machine room and a nearby test borehole.
