METAFIG – Metamorfismo del firn de Groenlandia
Firn metamorphism is the crucial process that defines not only the microstructure of polar ice but its rheology (and, thus, the large-scale flow of the ice sheet) too. Furthermore, it plays a decisive role in the formation and stabilization of the climate records within the ice, cornerstone of our knowledge of the climate´s past (and future). Due to its complexity, a clear understanding of firn metamorphism is still lacking but, fortunately, many of the processes involved leave temporary imprints on the microstructure, which can be identified and analysed through appropriate techniques. Based on the latest literature on firn metamorphism, the Microstructural Fading Memory hypothesis, and with the help of state-of-the-art AI image analysis, this project aims to develop a novel model for firn metamorphism, through the study of the EastGRIP-S3 firn core in Europe’s cutting-edge ice microstructure laboratories.
Start date: 01/01/2024 End Date: 31/12/2027
Funding: Predoctoral Programme for the Training of Non-Doctoral Research Staff of the Basque Government
PhD Programme: Doctoral Programme in Environmental Change and Human Impact in the Quaternary Period (UPV/EHU)
Coordinator: Prof. Sérgio Henrique Faria (BC3)
Partners:
Key people involved in BC3: