The projects are in the fields of:

• (1) measurements and modelling of glacier evolution and glacial isostatic adjustment in Iceland
• (2): realistic volcano deformation models taking glacial isostatic adjustment into consideration.

 The positions form part of a new project investigating the effects of climate change induced Ice-retreat on Seismic and Volcanic activity (ISVOLC: https://earthice.hi.is/is/node/162), funded by the Icelandic Research Fund. The ISVOLC project is led by Icelandic Meteorological Office together with the University of Iceland, where the Ph.D. students will be based.

For further information about the project and application process please visit: https://earthice.hi.is/is/node/132

ISVOLC Ph.D. position 1: Glacier evolution and glacial isostatic adjustment in Iceland 

The first part of the PhD project will be to create a unified database of volume changes of the Icelandic glaciers since the end of the Little Ice Age at high spatial and temporal resolution.  If possible, a longer record, a few hundred years or thousands will be constructed. In situ and remote sensing methods, as well as models for climate and ice flow will be applied.  The second part will focus on building a three-dimensional time-dependent glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) model for the entirety of Iceland, considering a realistic lithospheric/mantle structure. The third part will combine the ice loading history and GIA models to improve understanding of the large-scale effect of variable ice loading. The work will include applying models of ice-flow (e.g. PISM) and climate (regional and global models) to reconstruct ice loading history as well as GIA models using the software COMSOL. 

ISVOLC Ph.D. position 2: Realistic volcano deformation models taking glacial isostatic adjustment into consideration 

The PhD student will research magmatic and seismic processes within a selection of the ISVOLC target areas with the following objectives:

• (i) Develop new advanced 3D Finite Element models of magma plumbing beneath key volcanoes, considering magma bodies and magma mush within a magma domain, and episodic melt supply rate.
• (ii) Combine GIA model predictions and the magma plumbing models to produce 3D models that describe effects from both deglaciation and magma influx.
• (iii) Determine the effect of recent glacier changes on magma generation and supply to, and stability of magma bodies beneath volcanoes.
• (iv) Determine the effect of recent glacier mass changes on seismic triggering of faults located within two major fault zones in Iceland.

The work will include components of InSAR and/or GNSS processing, and geodetic modelling with analytical and numerical (COMSOL software) approaches. 

Both Ph.D. students will be based at the Institute of Earth Sciences an independent part of the Science Institute, University of Iceland. The work will be conducted in close collaboration with the Icelandic Meteorological Office.

For further information contact

Freysteinn Sigmundsson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Guðfinna Th Aðalgeirsdóttir, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Halldór Geirsson, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Michelle Parks, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.