AG-340

Arctic Glaciers and Landscapes (10 ECTS)

Period: Summer/fall 2011 (5 weeks in August/September)

Application deadline: 15. April 2011

Foxfonna. Site of mass balance and ice surface process studies. (Photo: A. Hodson).

General information:
This course aims to provide Masters level students with a process-based understanding of
Arctic glaciology and glacial geomorphology.

There will be 28 hours of lectures, providing a theoretical framework for understanding

Arctic glacier/permafrost thermal regimes, glacier mass balance and hydrology, ice
dynamics (including calving and surging processes), moraine formation and disintegration
and the role of glaciers and ice sheets in the evolution of Svalbard's landscape.

A strong emphasis is placed upon field training, and so the programme includes a mixture
of one day excursions to local field sites and also to a tidewater glacier, as well as a
residential field camp in the western mountain ranges of the Isfjorden basin. Students will
be assessed through the presentation of a field report and an examination.

1
Grønfjord field camp. (Photo: A. Hodson)

Course details

Credits: 10 ECTS
Period: Summer/Autumn 2011 (5 weeks)
Level: Master level
Language of instruction: English
Assessment: Field report and written examination
Course responsible: Andy Hodson - A.J.Hodson@sheffield.ac.uk
UNIS contact person : Doug Benn – doug.benn@unis.no
Application deadline: 15. April 2011