Vivi Pedersen

Earth surface processes: interacting with the solid Earth, ice and sea level

Surface processes change the Earth surface dramatically and interact with the solid Earth, ice, and thereby also global sea level. For instance, changes in topography due to glacial erosion will influence ice-sheet configuration and dynamics. The deep glacial erosion in fjords will also cause erosional unloading and result in solid-Earth deformation. In addition, solid-Earth deformation will influence topography and therefore the first-order behaviour of surface processes.

In this seminar, I will exemplify these interactions, first with a strong focus on the formation and evolution of topography. In particular, I will target the outstanding question related to high topography at passive continental margins, where the importance of surface processes and solid-Earth deformation is still debated.

Secondly, I will elaborate on the importance of surface processes for sea level research, through their interaction with the solid Earth and ice sheets. Both a changed topography and solid-Earth deformation has the potential to influence the response of ice sheets to climate change, and thereby ice-sheet stability and sea level.