Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) is the response of the solid Earth to past and present-day changes to glaciers and ice sheets. It gen erates crustal displacements, sea-level changes, and changes to the Earth’s gravitational field. Recent developments in GIA modelling include increase d consideration of lateral variations in Earth structure (i.e. three-dimens ional Earth models) and coupled ice-sheet/Earth modelling. Compl ementing these recent developments are ongoing investigations into paleo ic e sheet extent, Earth structure, and paleo sea-level investigations. & nbsp;Geodetic measurements of crustal motion and gravitational change inclu de the GIA viscoelastic response to past changes, as well as the Earth’s el astic response to present-day ice mass changes.
The outst anding source of uncertainty in projecting future global sea-level rise is the dynamical behavior of marine-based portions of the Antarctic ice sheet. These ice sheets, grounded below present-day sea-level on bedro ck that slopes down towards the interior, may be subject to a Marine Ice Sh eet Instability (MISI) featuring a positive feedback cycle of thinning and grounding line retreat. Where glaciers and ice sheets are undergoing r apid change, the solid Earth response, which is comprised of both an elasti c response to present-day change and viscoelastic response to past ice mass change, can affect the bedrock elevation relative to local sea-level and a ffect glacier flow dynamics, including grounding line migration, and thus a ffect global sea levels. The structure and rheology of the inter ior of the Earth determines the rapidity of the Earth’s response and the st rength of the potential interaction between vertical crustal displacement a nd ice sheet dynamics.
Registration Deadline: R egistration will be first come, first served, and will end when capacity is reached, or on April 30, 2019: GIA Workshop Registration