Description du projet
Démêler l’interaction complexe des différents facteurs atmosphériques en Asie de haute montagne
La cryosphère de l’Asie de haute montagne (AHM) est extrêmement sensible aux variations de la température de l’air et des précipitations. En effet, ses glaciers et calottes glaciaires réagissent fortement au réchauffement actuel et aux fluctuations des systèmes de circulation atmosphérique dominants. L’un de ces systèmes, la mousson asiatique, se caractérise par un changement saisonnier de la direction des vents qui entraine la précipitation de l’air humide des océans Indien et Pacifique à haute altitude dans l’AMH, alimentant ainsi la cryosphère. Le projet HAIL, financé par l’UE, entend démêler les interactions complexes entre les différents facteurs atmosphériques et les culminations de glaciers documentées au cours des 60 000 dernières années, en se concentrant sur le comportement énigmatique des glaciers de l’AMH lors des intervalles interstadiaires chauds. Afin de comprendre les évolutions passées des glaciers ou de prédire leur sort futur, il est essentiel de dissocier les facteurs climatiques mondiaux de ceux qui entrent en jeu à l’échelle régionale.
Objectif
The cryosphere of High-Mountain Asia (HMA) is extremely sensitive to shifts in air temperature and precipitation, with its glaciers and ice caps not only responding to the present warming but also to changes in the intensity of prevailing atmospheric circulation systems. One such system–the Asian monsoon–is a seasonal change in wind direction, which allows moist air from the Indian and Pacific oceans to precipitate at high elevations of HMA, feeding the cryosphere. Decoupling global from regional climate drivers is important, if we are to understand past changes in glaciers or predict their future fate. HAIL’s primary aim is to untangle the complex interplay between different atmospheric drivers and documented glacier culminations during the past 60 thousand years, zooming in on an enigmatic behaviour of HMA glaciers during warm interstadial intervals. A counterintuitive glacier growth during these warm intervals appears out-of-phase with diminishing and disappearing ice masses elsewhere on Earth but correlates well with increases in monsoon intensity. Until now, a lack of robust evidence on glacier culminations, as well as absence of a framework for assessing their paleoclimatic significance have merely fuelled speculations. HAIL combines a comprehensive compilation of constraints on past glacier geometries and paleoclimate proxy data with paleoclimate and advanced numerical glacier models to test the hypothesis that regional glacier culminations during globally warm periods of the last glacial cycle were driven by variations in the monsoon intensity. Through this action, the researcher will not only extend his strong expertise in glacial geomorphology and geochronology into the realm of numerical data interpretation but will also transfer paleo-data skills and considerable pedagogical training to the host. Riding on the host’s cutting-edge education methods, HAIL will test and develop its outreach strategy for students and the general public.
Champ scientifique
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologygeochronology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencespalaeontologypaleoclimatology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologyatmospheric circulation
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeologygeomorphology
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesphysical geographyglaciology
Mots‑clés
Programme(s)
Régime de financement
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinateur
7491 Trondheim
Norvège