Glaciology, Physical Geography: Fully Funded PhD in The Variance - Variability in Antarctic Calving Extent

Key Information

Funding provider(s): Faculty of Science and Engineering

Subject area(s): Glaciology, Physical Geography

Project start date(s) (please delete as applicable):

• 1 October 2025 (Enrolment open from mid-September)

Supervisors: Dr Jim Jordan and Dr Adrian Luckman

Aligned programme of study: PhD in Physical Geography

(If Applicable) – Primarily based at Swansea University, with the option of short visits to Edinburgh University to work more closely with a secondary supervisor

Mode of study: Full or Part-time study is possible.

Project description:

The main contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet (AIS) to sea level rise comes from the flow of inland ice out to sea, a process that is controlled by the presence of floating ice shelves around the AIS. Ice loss from ice shelf calving has been shown to account for roughly half of AIS mass loss (Greene et al., 2022). Ice shelves typically follow a period of slow advance for several decades before undergoing more rapid ice shelf calving events that reduce their extent. In addition to this natural variance, the ice-shelf extent is becoming increasingly impacted by a heating climate driving melting. As such, an understanding of the range and variance of their extent and their effect on inland ice flow is of great importance when determining the future contribution to sea level rise of the AIS (Miles et al., 2022). In particular, how much of the observed trend is due to the natural calving cycle, and how much is a result of increased Antarctic warming? VARIANCE seeks to address this by first compiling a data set of the Antarctic calving front position over time to derive an understanding of its range and variability, and how the present-day calving front extent compares to the observational record. These observations will then be used with the numerical ice model, Úa, to simulate the relative impact of the variance in calving front extent on inland ice speed, and hence sea level rise, for the AIS. This modelling setup is similar to that used by Jordan et al., 2023. The student will be primarily based at Swansea University, working closely with Dr Jordan and Professor Luckman as part of the Swansea Glaciology Research Group. There will be the opportunity to spend time at Edinburgh University and work more closely with Dr Miles. This project would be suitable for candidates with a first degree in a related environmental or physical science as well as mathematics or physics. Basic programming skills in languages such as Python, Matlab or R are desirable, but not essential for consideration. This project will provide the candidate with training in numerical modelling and remote sensing, both sought-after transferable skills, setting them up for a career in academia or industry.

Funding Details

Funding Comment

This scholarship covers the full cost of tuition fees and an annual stipend of £19,237.

Additional research expenses of up to £1,000 a year will also be available.

International students:

Fully if the applicant is successful in being offered a SUIPRES Scholarship as outlined below. Swansea University is pleased to offer the Swansea University International Postgraduate Research Excellence Scholarship (SUIPRES).

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