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Earth Physics - Geodynamics and Geodesy
Research in geodynamics and environmental geodesy encompasses all aspects of deformation of the
solid Earth and its fluid envelope, including the development of models of the
past ice history of the Earth, the effects of climate change on polar ice sheets,
sea level variations, elastic tidal deformation of the Earth and more conventional
studies of tectonic deformation through earthquakes, Interferometric Synthetic
Aperture Radar, GPS etc.
Space-geodetic techniques such as the recent Gravity Recovery and Climate
Experiment (GRACE) mission and JASON-1 satellite altimetry mission provide
new observations of the changing nature of our planet. We can use these
tools to investigate how climate change is affecting the environment, notably
changes in sea level, rates of melting of polar ice caps and even ground
water storage.
Research Areas
Examples of research undertaken are provided below. Opportunities exist within these
and other research areas for students to undertake undergraduate and postgraduate
research projects (Find a research project)
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Research includes measuring mass balance changes using space-geodetic techniques .....
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Ice sheet reconstruction using geomorphological, cosmogenic and geodetic constraints on the
timing and amount of melting of the Fennoscandian, Laurentide and Antarctic ice sheets.
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Present-day melting of polar ice sheets increases the volume of the oceans, causing increases
in sea level. Warming of the oceans causes thermal expansion which also causes changes in sea
level. Variations in sea level can be measured through satellite altimetry and tide gauge measurements.
Local land movements need to be considered and can be measured through GPS measurements and
InSAR.
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The melting of the Antarctic Ice Sheet over the past 10,000 years has removed a considerable mass
from the continent. As a result, the continent rebounds (as would a boat if one removed a load
from the bow). The rate of present-day uplift can be measured with GPS and can tell us about
how much ice has melted.
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Papua New Guinea contains every type of tectonic plate boundary and is one of the most seismically
active regions in the world. For over a decade we have been measuring continental drift, elastic
strain and earthquake deformation, using GPS to quantify locations of plate boundaries and
deformation zones.
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At Mt Stromlo we operate one of ~30 superconducting gravimeters worldwide. Highly precise measurements
of changes in the Earth's gravity field can be used to learn about the tidal deformation of the Earth
and the structure of the internal Earth.
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Theoretical advances in the analysis of space-geodetic data are undertaken, including:
Are you a student interested in studying at RSES (PhD, Master, Honours)? Find A Geodesy-related Research Project at RSES
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