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Schäfer, Martina

Education: PhD Earth Science, glaciology (Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France)
Title: Tutkija/Scientist (Postdoc)

Global Change

phone: +358 (0)40-4844272 (2713)
email: martina.schafer(at)ulapland.fi

personal website: http://www.smartina.co.cc/

Qualifications:

  • 2009-present: Tutkija/Postdoc at the Arctic Centre, Rovaniemi
  • 2008-2009: Postdoc at Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland/Canada, Ice-sheet modeling and calving
  • 2007-2008: short-term research contract, LGGE (Grenoble, France), Modeling of the "Mer de Glace" glacier in Chamonix, France
  • 2004-2007: PhD Earth Science, glaciology, LGGE (Grenoble, France), Modeling of the ice-flow of temperate glaciers
  • 1998-2004: Master of Physics, France (Grenoble) & Germany (Karlsruhe)

Research Interest :

My main research field is modeling of the ice-flow of glaciers and ice-sheets.

In my PhD thesis I was working on modeling the ice flow dynamics of alpine-type glaciers. An already existing model was improved and applied to synthetic glaciers as well as to a real case glacier (Saint Sorlin glacier, France). In a second step several  models have been compared on different types of glaciers (synthetic an real) in order to get a better understanding of which type of model should be used with which particular type of glacier. Elmer, a full Stokes model, was among these models.

Later some of these models have been applied to the Mer de Glace glacier after analyzing and preparing data for this study. This study was part of a survey for the French national electricity board (EDF) planning to relocate their water catchment point in view of the glacier’s shrinkage.

Some time was also spent on the study of a volcano glacier in Ecuador (field  measurements and modeling). The data obtained so far need to be completed (radar profile, mass balance) so as to carry out further modeling work.

In my postdoc position in Canada we were working on ice calving with the aim of applying a flow model including calving to the Belcher glacier (Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic, Glaciodyn project).

Fieldwork has also always been an important part of my work. I have participated to field campaigns, for the most part in the Alps or on alpine-like glaciers. This fieldwork included measurements of mass balance, velocity and topography as part of the surveying tasks of the French glacier observatory. I also took part in a radar campaign on the

Cotopaxi volcano glacier in Ecuador and I participated in a field campaign in the Torngat

Mountains (Northern Labrador, Canadian Arctic) with the aim to reassess some of the small remaining cirque glaciers by GPS and GPR measurements. Additionally I was participating in the analysis and interpretation of the field data from a campaign on the Belcher glacier (Devon Icecap, Canadian Arctic). All this fieldwork has been important for me as it is crucial for me to have a good knowledge about the field data (and its uncertainties or limits) used in my models.

Present work :

I’ll be working in the Arctic Global Change research group, more precisely on John Moore ’s projects.

One of the two main projects will be modeling with a full Stokes model (Elmer) accounting for superimposed ice of glaciers in Svalbard. The other one will deal with modeling with a similar model applied to Blue Ice Areas in Antarctica with the goal to improve dating of ice.

Publications:

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