Melting Polar Ice Sheets, Sea Level Variations and Climate Change

Changes in Earth's temperature cause changes in the size of the polar ice caps, with corresponding changes in global sea levels as water moves between the oceans and the continental ice sheets. Sea levels are currently rising as a result of present-day increases in global mean temperature and some claim that West Antarctica and Greenland glaciers are melting rapidly. But how are changes in ice and ocean volumes estimated? Observations of the motions of close-earth satellites and measurements from these satellites to the surface of the Earth enable these changes to be measured and they provide important constraints on the physical properties of the planet and on the physical processes occurring on and within it. Students will learn about several Earth-observing satellite missions and how to derive and interpret results in terms of physical changes on Earth. Honours Pathway Option (HPO): Honours Pathway students will be required to demonstrate greater depth of practice in analysis and reporting. - Students taking this option will submit an additional research report, equivalent to 20% of overall assessment. The regular assessment will be scaled to 80%. - Students undertaking the HPO will engage with LO1, LO3, and LO5 in greater depth - The HPO is open to all students