{"id":265,"date":"2025-08-14T17:24:58","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T15:24:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/isp\/?page_id=265"},"modified":"2026-10-06T11:18:46","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T09:18:46","slug":"opportunities","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wp.unil.ch\/isp\/opportunities\/","title":{"rendered":"Opportunities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Masters and Bachelors projects for 2026-27<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Are you interested in working on contemporary ice sheet processes at local, regional and perhaps whole-ice-sheet scales? Do you have a basic grounding in Glaciology and\/or Hydrology? And do you already have some experience in data analysis using a scripting language such as Python? Then we’d be happy to hear from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have put together some suggested topics below. This is a non-exhaustive list. You are welcome to approach us to discuss these topics or your own ideas further. We also suggest that you take a look at some of our most recent publications (via the links on the Team<\/a> page) to get a feel for the approaches and methods that we use. And of course, if you join our Team then we will help you develop your knowledge and skills further in the directions needed for your project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modelling of melt and runoff processes using in-situ observations<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Between local field measurements of surface lowering (inferred to be a proxy for melt) on the one hand, and regional climate models used for ice-sheet-wide studies of melting and runoff on the other, lies a critical role for detailed numerical modelling of the surface energy balance. These models are forced by automatic weather station observations to yield insights on surface melt, refreezing and runoff processes. Their outputs are an essential means by which we add process understanding to our field observations of the surface hydrological processes which determine the Greenland Ice Sheet\u2019s net runoff contribution to the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is currently a gap in the modelling \u201cmarket\u201d: we lack an up-to-date and validated model for our principal study area of the \u2018K-Transect\u2019 in south-west Greenland. The main existing model for this area (van As et al., 2017, The Cryosphere) misses certain processes and, in the accumulation zone, does a poor job of estimating melt during very warm years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The purpose of this project is to develop an implementation of the FriCOSIPY model (https:\/\/fricosipy.readthedocs.io\/en\/latest\/<\/a>), forced using all automatic weather stations found along the \u2018K-Transect\u2019 to yield elevation-dependent understanding of melt, refreezing and runoff processes. The project has two linked priorities: (1) customisation of model parameters especially for the K-Transect, and (2) to validate model outputs against observations. There are then many opportunities for \u2018stretch goals\u2019, for example the application of model outputs towards catchment-scale simulations of hydrological processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project is supervised in close collaboration with the University of Fribourg, where the principal developers of the FriCOSIPY model (Marcus Gastaldello and Horst Machguth) are based.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is suited to students interested in hydro-climatology and modelling. Previous modelling experience is helpful but not essential as the focus is firmly on running an existing model for a specific geographic context.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Measuring supraglacial meltwater runoff versus retention using in-situ measurements<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Field observations of meltwater inputs at Greenland ice sheet moulins are rare and have only been made at low elevations where meltwater is abundant and the ice sheet is much thinner. Yet in recent years, streams and rivers have increasingly formed at higher elevations of the ice sheet, extending beyond the equilibrium line into the accumulation zone. This has potentially important implications for both surface runoff from the ice sheet and the impact that surface-generated meltwater has on ice sliding behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To make these much-needed field observations of surface hydrology, in April 2025 we installed time-lapse cameras and pressure transducers to measure surface slush fields, stream and river flow immediately upstream of two perennial supraglacial lakes. Both of these lakes formed and then drained catastrophically in the summers of both 2025 and 2026. Our data therefore contain evidence of water fluxes leading up to and following the drainage of each lake, supplemented by multiple very-high-resolution satellite image acquisitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In April 2027 we will download the second year of data from our in-situ field experiments. You would be embedded in our ongoing work to derive discharge time series from these datasets, with particular emphasis on quantifying discharge during the 2026 melt season and thereby understand the processes governing runoff from accumulation zone catchments. We are working with a range of cutting-edge hydrological techniques which notably include space-time image velocimetry, placing this project at the intersection of hydrology and glaciology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This project is particularly suited to students interested in hydrology and ice sheet surface mass balance.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Subglacial hydrology modelling with GLaDS in Elmer\/Ice<\/h3>\n\n\n
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The response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to a warming climate is strongly influenced by how meltwater drains beneath the ice. However, the interaction between subglacial hydrology and ice dynamics remains poorly understood, particularly beneath thick ice where hydraulic gradients are small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have used the Glacier Drainage System model (GlaDS) to simulate subglacial drainage beneath the K-transect in Greenland, showing that efficient drainage and channels can develop beneath thicker ice than often assumed. In this project, you will continue this work by coupling GlaDS with the ice-flow model Elmer\/Ice to investigate the interaction between basal sliding and subglacial hydrology. One possible focus is to explore how different sliding laws and their parameters affect simulated surface velocities and how well these compare with field observations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is suited to students interested in glacier modelling, subglacial hydrology, or ice dynamics. Previous modelling experience is helpful but not essential.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Ground-based radar timeseries analysis<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Autonomous phase-sensitive radar (ApRES) uses electromagnetic waves to monitor the interior and base of glaciers, detecting millimeter-scale changes in internal and subglacial reflections. These measurements can provide insights into ice dynamics, englacial water, and subglacial drainage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We installed four ApRES instruments in southwest Greenland around two supraglacial lakes that drain during summer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this project, you will process and analyze the radar data using established workflows and investigate changes in ice dynamics and water content. The radar observations will be combined with ice flow velocity measurements and satellite imagery to build a complete picture of the evolution of the ice and drainage system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is suited to students interested in geophysical data analysis, glacier dynamics, and hydrology.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Ice anisotropy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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In natural ice on Earth, water molecules are arranged in layers of hexagonal rings. Because of this crystal structure, deformation occurs a lot more easily by shearing along the so-called basal plane compared to other directions, so ice is mechanically anisotropic. Additionally the crystal arrangement also explains other forms of anisotropy, for example in the dielectric permittivity which affects the propagation of electromagnetic waves (e.g. light or radar). After Libbrecht, and Cuffey and Paterson.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Read more…<\/em><\/strong><\/summary>\n

Ice crystals in glaciers and ice sheets develop a preferred orientation in response to ice deformation. This makes ice anisotropic: it deforms more easily in some directions than others, with important implications for ice flow that are often neglected in ice-flow models. Because ice crystals also have anisotropic electromagnetic properties, their orientation can be measured using radar waves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this project, you will analyse ground-based and airborne radar data to investigate the spatial distribution of ice anisotropy in southwest Greenland. The results will provide constraints for modelling ice flow and can be compared with GNSS-derived strain rates and, optionally, with anisotropy simulated using the ice-flow model Elmer\/Ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The project is suited to students interested in material physics, ice-flow dynamics, and geophysical data analysis. Experience with Python is advantageous.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Mapping residual water in snowpack and firn on top of ice slabs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Residual wetness duration from Sentinel-1 (a-b), converted to superimposed ice (c). From Tedstone et al. (2025).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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Satellite radar observations of Greenland\u2019s percolation zone reveal often pervasive wetness of the near surface snow and firn facies sitting atop near impermeable ice slabs. This wetness extending long into autumn, highlighting the importance of temporary water storage. Field observations strongly indicate that this water refreezes without leaving the ice sheet (Tedstone et al., 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So far, sub-surface wetness has primairly been mapped using the C-band radar on the Sentinel-1 SAR platform, which has a \u2018conventional\u2019 wavelength that penetrates shallower depths of the snow and firn column This project would extend mapping of wetness by using the newly launched L-band radar onboard the NISAR satellite, which has a longer wavelength that in principle penetrates to deeper depths of the snow and firn column. By comparing these two records we hypothesise that it will be possible to infer the time and depth-dependent nature of refreezing.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Investigating high-elevation linear hydrology cut-off features in satellite imagery<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Oblique photograph by C. Posch, August 2026<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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In some recent summers we have observed linear \u2018cut off\u2019 features in satellite imagery of the western Greenland Ice Sheet which are oriented perpendicular to ice flow. Surface water is abundant above these features, but disappears suddenly below them. We hypothesise that these are crevasses, but find it unlikely that they are recognised by existing crevasse recognition algorithms. This project would involve developing techniques to map the locations and frequency of these features from a combination of optical and radar imagery, likely using advanced (machine-learning-based) image segmentation techniques.

This project sits at the intersection of glaciology, glacio-hydrology and computer vision and would be particularly suitable for students with a background in computer vision techniques.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

An automated pipeline for detecting visible runoff limits from satellite imagery<\/h3>\n\n\n
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We have a pipeline to extract seasonal and annual visible runoff limits from multi-spectral satellite imagery, ice-sheet-wide. This pipeline was presented in Tedstone and Machguth (2022) using single-band near-infrared imagery and has subsequently been extended to ingest annual mosaics of the Normalised Difference Water Index (NDWI) generated using Google Earth Engine from band combinations (Tedstone et al., 2025). This project would seek to cross-validate these two complementary approaches with the intent of building an operational automated pipeline which can be quickly and easily run to maintain an up-to-date time series of visible runoff limits. This project would suit a candidate with more substantial previous programming experience in Python, and\/or experience with Google Earth Engine.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

Surface topography evolution around the Greenland Ice Sheet runoff limit<\/h3>\n\n\n
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Surface elevation around the runoff limit in south-west Greenland, shown by contours (white lines) and the hillshaded background progressing from lower elevations to higher elevations (green to blue). Two annual runoff limits are shown: 2022 (dashed) and 2021 (dotted). Note the change in the shape of contours in the proximity of the runoff limits. Figure from Tedstone et al. (2025).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
Read more…<\/em><\/strong><\/summary>\n

At the uppermost reaches of the Greenland Ice Sheet’s ephemeral surface rivers, the surface topography transitions from a flat plateau into shallow fluvial valleys. To date, it isn’t clear whether this shift in topographic signature is induced by the transfer the ice sheet bed to the surface, or rather by surface hydrological processes which have re-modelled the surface. Moreover, the ice sheet’s visible runoff limits have generally expanded over the last 40 years (Tedstone and Machguth, 2022). This project would seek to understand how the surface topography has evolved during this period of visible runoff area expansion. We suggest that this would mainly involve analysing multi-temporal strips of ArcticDEM data in conjunction with visible runoff limits and optical satellite imagery. By investigating whether there is evidence for switching of flow routing (‘water piracy’) it should also be possible to identify whether hydrological catchments have changed through time.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n

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