Jeffrey Kavanaugh
Contact
Associate Professor, Faculty of Science - Earth & Atmospheric Sciences Admin
- jeff.kavanaugh@ualberta.ca
- Phone
- (780) 492-1740
- Address
-
3-009 Centennial Ctr For Interdisciplinary SCS II
11335 Saskatchewan Drive NWEdmonton ABT6G 2H5
Overview
Research
Research area
Glacier Dynamics, Mechanics of Unconsolidated Materials, Subglacial and Groundwater Hydrology, Permafrost and Periglacial Landscapes, Environmental Change, Glacier Response to Changing Climate, Ice Core Paleoclimatology
Research interest
Through my research, I seek to improve our understanding of glacial systems: how they flow and respond to forcings, how they interact with climate and sea level, how they archive past climates, and how they shape the landscape. My current research is focused on how mechanical conditions at the glacier bed are controlled by hydraulic conditions in the subglacial water system. Because the flow and stability characteristics of ice masses are strongly influenced by conditions at the base of the ice, this question is central to the understanding of many interesting aspects of glacier behavior, such as fast flow exhibited by surging glaciers and ice streams. Furthermore, a realistic representation of basal processes is necessary to improve the accuracy of ice sheet models. I use a variety of techniques to investigate the interactions between hydrological and mechanical conditions at the glacier bed, ranging from developing and installing novel subglacial instruments to developing and analyzing numerical models.
Research opportunity
I am currently looking for graduate students for the following projects:
- Investigating basal processes and ice dynamics of cirque glaciers
Courses
EAS 100 - Planet Earth
Introduction to the origin and evolution of the Earth and the solar system. Introduction to plate tectonics and the rock cycle. Simple energy balances and interactions between radiation and the atmosphere, land, oceans, ice masses, and the global hydrological cycle. Evolution of life, biogeography, and global climate in the context of geologic time. The carbon cycle. Human interaction with the Earth. Mineral and energy resources. This course may not be taken for credit if credit has been obtained in EAS 200 or 201.
EAS 201 - Earth Science I
A non-laboratory introduction to the origin and evolution of the Earth and the solar system. Introduction to plate tectonics and the rock cycle. Simple energy balances and interactions between radiation and the atmosphere, land, oceans, ice masses, and the global hydrological cycle. Evolution of life, biogeography, and global climate in the context of geologic time. The carbon cycle. Human interactions with the Earth. Mineral and energy resources. This course may not be taken for credit if credit has been obtained in EAS 100 or 210. (Note: EAS 201 and EAS 200 are considered to be equivalent to EAS 100 for prerequisite purposes). [Faculty of Science]
EAS 327 - Environmental Instrumentation
Laboratory work and lectures to develop skills in environmental measurement through comprehension of first principles. Instrumentation (basic electronics; matching signal sources and receivers; noise; frequency response). Sensor-environment coupling (heat and mass transfer). Sampling theory. Principles will be applied to selected environmental monitoring instruments. Field trip. Prerequisites: EAS 100 or 102 and MATH 113 or 114. SCI 100 may be used in lieu of these prerequisites.
INT D 380 - Canada's Western Cordillera: Advanced Interdisciplinary Mountain Studies
Mountain Studies is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship emphasizing the interconnections between the cultural and physical dimensions of mountain environments. This senior-level course focuses on the complex processes of change that shaped, and continue to shape, Canada's Western Cordillera, with a specific emphasis on the Rocky, Columbia, and Saint Elias mountains. Melding practice and theory, this lecture-based course draws on scholarship from the across the humanities (history, cultural studies, and literature) and the Earth sciences (geology, glaciology, and meteorology) in order to place on the view the complex historical period of colonial settlement in these mountains, and the intertwining of state and commercial power, science, sport and leisure practices that put these landscapes on the map, literally and figuratively. This course will provide unique educational and training experience for senior undergraduate students interested in mountain places, peoples, and practices. Prerequisite: INT D 280; or EAS 100 or EAS 201; or Consent of the Instructor.