Our research looks at the water content of temperate glaciers and its affect on the motion of the glacier. Current work is being done on the Bench Glacier in Alaska. We found a network of planar voids that connect to each other and to the base of the glacier. Borehole video shows these voids connecting to each other as well as to the base. We hypothesize that these voids are part of the englacial hydrology and integral in the transportation of both water through the glacier as well as the motion of the glacier itself.
We are investigating the responses of arctic tundra stream geomorphology,
hyporheic zone hydrology, and biogeochemical cycling to climate change.
In particular, we expect that hyporehic exchange dynamics in tundra
streams are controlled by 1) channel features (pools, riffles, etc.),
and 2) depth of thaw beneath the stream channel. Altered arctic climate
will likely alter stream flows and therefore the fluvial geomorphic
structure of stream channels. We hypothesize that the potential for
hyporheic exchange increases as the climate warms and active layers
deepen. At the same time, increased exchange of water between the
stream and the hyporheic zone could be driving more or different types
of hyporheic biogeochemical cycling, which may alter stream nutrient
budgets.
