Hear about environmental applications of computer science!
The Taku Glacier, Alaska is the thickest and deepest temperate glacier in the world, and the only advancing glacier on the Juneau Icefield. The shape of the bed of the glacier is largely unknown, apart from a few point measurements, even though this information is important for understanding the dynamics. I generate a bedrock topography that matches the existing bed measurements and produces a surface profile that matches GPS elevation data of the Taku’s surface. I use a one-dimensional finite difference shallow ice approximation model to describe the flow of the Taku Glacier and use a genetic algorithm to solve for the bed of the glacier given surface data. Results will help future modeling efforts characterize the basal conditions, flow dynamics, and future behavior of the glacier.
Wednesday, December 2
3:30 – 4:30 pm
John Howard 132
Snacks will be served
Isabel Suhr
Computer Science Major
Senior Thesis Presentation