Events

Seminars

31st January: 'Modelling glacial landscape evolution', David Egholm, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Glacial erosion is known to alter landscapes by forming a number of characteristic landforms, such as flat-floored U-shaped valleys, hanging valleys, cirques, truncated spurs, and knife-edged ridges. These landforms are often associated with steepened slopes, and their dramatic appearance contributes to the beauty of a glacial landscape.
A number of recent studies have indicated that glaciers, by an erosion-mode referred to as the glacial buzzsaw, can influence also the overall height distribution (hypsometry) of mountain ranges that intersect the snowline altitude. By this, glaciers also influence the overall links between plate tectonics, climate, and topography.
Computational glacial landscape evolution models are used in an attempt to link landforms and hypsometry to subglacial processes. The nature of the models allows simulations of erosion at the scale of the characteristic landforms, while considering different mechanisms of subglacial erosion and the link to hydrology and sediment transport. In this presentation, I will demonstrate the capacities of glacial landscape evolution models as well as discuss their current weaknesses.

7th, 14th, 21st, 28th February: First year research student presentations.

6th March: 'What happens before big Icelandic eruptions?', John Maclennan, University of Cambridge. Mineralogical Society Distinguished Lecturer Programme 2011-2012.
Springtime eruptions of Icelandic volcanoes caused heavy disruption to air travel in 2010 and 2011. These eruptions, from the Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn volcanoes, were both of modest volume, and are typical of the sort of events that occur once every couple of years in Iceland.
Geophysical monitoring of such repeatedly active volcanoes is rapidly advancing our understanding of the transport and storage of magma in the days and weeks prior to eruption. However, once every few centuries, extremely large fissure eruptions take place on Iceland. These events produce about 100 times more material than the recent eruptions and last for several months. The most recent of these eruptions was the AD 1783 Laki fissure eruption, which had far-reaching environmental and societal consequences. None of these huge eruptions has occurred in the era of geophysical monitoring and therefore detailed petrological study provides the most powerful constraints on magmatic activity in the precursory stages of such events. I will show how a combination of petrographic, geochemical and microanalytical techniques can be used to understand the evolution of Laki magma from mantle supply through to the final stages of mixing just prior to eruption.

All Seminars will take place in the Williamson Building at 4.15pm in Large Lecture Theatre. Tea and biscuits at 4 pm.

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Anyone wanting to add or make corrections, please contact Richard Hartley.