Project Grant 2332481

This $201,779 federal Project Grant award from the National Science Foundation's Polar Programs (CFDA 47.078) will support research by the University of Maine System to investigate the dynamics of compressive boundaries where Antarctic ice shelves interact with obstructions like islands and grounded ice. The research aims to better understand how these "crash-zones" generate resistive forces that slow the flow of Antarctic ice into the ocean, which is critical for predicting sea-level rise. The project will feature on-site glaciological and geophysical field measurements near pressure ridges along the coast of Ross Island, an area that affects access to major U.S. and New Zealand Antarctic research stations. The findings will help stabilize a critical logistics roadway in the region and inform large-scale ice sheet/shelf models for sea-level rise projections. The research will also contribute to broader impacts through collaborations with educational programs and potential involvement of an artist in the second field season.