Dr ROBERT BINGHAM

Dr ROBERT BINGHAM The University of Aberdeen School of Geosciences Dr ROBERT BINGHAM Senior Lecturer work +44 (0)1224 273719 Cryosphere and Climate Change

Senior Lecturer

Dr ROBERT BINGHAM

Personal Details

Telephone: +44 (0)1224 273719
Email: r.bingham@abdn.ac.uk
Personal website: Cryosphere and Climate Change
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In 2013-14 I will return to Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica (and the world's) most rapidly diminishing ice stream, as part of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) Ice Sheet Stability - Ice Sheet Response (iSTAR) Programme.

My recent research on The influence of subglacial rifting on the diminishing West Antarctic Ice Sheet was reported in >200 international media outlets, including the BBC Website, BBC World and BBC Scotland Radio, Scientific American, Time Magazine and NERC Planet Earth Online.

An explanatory video of this that I placed on YouTube received 75,000 views in 3 days.

I maintain a Photo Gallery of my Antarctic, Arctic and Alpine Fieldwork.


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Biography

  • 2012+         Senior Lecturer in Geosciences, University of Aberdeen
  • 2009-2012   Lecturer in Geosciences, University of Aberdeen
  • 2006-2009   Radar Geophysicist, NERC British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge
  • 2005-2006   PDRA, NERC Centre for Polar Observation & Modelling, Bristol Glaciology Centre
  • 2004-2005   PDRA, Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Glasgow
  • 1999-2003   PhD (Glaciology), University of Glasgow & University of Alberta

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Research Interests

  • Glaciers / Ice Sheets
  • Climate and Sea-Level Change
  • Polar Research; Antarctica and the High Arctic
  • Ice radar and radio-echo sounding
  • Cryospheric geophysics
  • Ice sheet / ocean interactions
  • Ice dynamics and hydrology
  • Relating glaciology to geo(morph)ology
  • See http://www.abdn.ac.uk/ccc for more details.

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Current Research

Selected current projects (publication listing below gives broader flavour)

Pine Island Glacier: dynamics, flow history and potential for further rapid change (Funding: NERC iSTAR-C; NERC GRADES)

Pine Island Glacier (PIG) is West Antarctica’s most rapidly thinning region. My research, in collaboration with co-researchers at the British Antarctic Survey, is elucidating the potential inland response with continued oceanic and atmospheric warming. In 2007-08 I took part in the first systematic over-snow radar and seismic surveys of PIG’s basal conditions. With David Rippin (University of York) and Nanna Karlsson (University of Copenhagen) I have investigated past flow dynamics using airborne radar. In 2013 I commence work on the major new NERC Programme iSTAR to investigate the stability of PIG in response to future oceanic forcing. 

Ice-ocean interactions on the Bellingshausen Sea margin, West Antarctica (Funding: NERC/AFI/CGS/11/60):

This multidisciplinary project is concerned with ice-ocean and tectonic coupling in West Antarctica. In 2009/2010 I undertook the first systematic geophysical data acquisition across Ferrigno Ice Stream, a region of notable ice response along the Bellingshausen Sea margin of West Antarctica. A key finding is that the ice response is enhanced and steered inland by the existence of a significant tectonic rift that underlies the ice (Bingham et al., Nature, 2012).

Recovering basal boundary conditions from aerogeophysical survey data (NERC/AFI/10/18 & NERC/BAS Ice Sheets Programme).

In 2010-11, 20 000 km of new aerogeophysical data were acquired over ice streams flowing into the Weddell Sea, informed by my earlier work investigating the Antarctic palaeoenvironment (Bingham & Siegert, 2007, GRL). The aim is to recover basal influences (water, sediments, geometry) on ice flow, hence predict vulnerability of the basin to climate change. With Ph.D. student David Ashmore I am also investigating the subglacial environment of further under-explored ice streams draining to the Weddell Sector.

Research Students

  • David Ashmore (2010+) Water flow beneath the Antarctic Ice Sheet
  • Philip Prescott (2008-12, with Dr. C.R. Stokes, University of Durham) The roughness of ice sheet beds.
  • Dr. Nanna Karlsson (2007-10, with Dr. D.M. Rippin, University of York) Modelling englacial layering in Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica. Now based in Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen.

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External Responsibilities

External Activities

  • Full-Time Member, NERC Peer Review College
  • Secretary, International Glaciological Society, British Branch (~200 members)
  • Research Committee Member, Scottish Alliance for Geoscience and Society (SAGES)
  • Scientific Editor, The Cryosphere

Membership of Professional Bodies

  • International Glaciological Society
  • European Geosciences Union
  • American Geophysical Union
  • British Geophysical Association

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Recent Highlight Publications

 

  • Bingham, R.G., Ferraccioli, F., King, E.C., Larter, R.D., Pritchard, H.D., Smith, A.M. & Vaughan, D.G. (2012). 'Inland thinning of West Antarctic Ice Sheet steered along subglacial rifts'. Nature, 487, 468-471.
     [Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature11292
  • Ross, N., Bingham, R.G., Corr, H.F.J., Ferraccioli, F., Jordan, T.A., Le Brocq, A., Rippin, D.M., Young, D., Blankenship, D.D. & Siegert, M.J. (2012). 'Steep reverse bed slope at the grounding line of the Weddell Sea sector in West Antarctica'. Nature Geoscience, 5, 393-396.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1468
  • Karlsson, NB., Rippin, D.M., Bingham, R.G. & Vaughan, D.G. (2012). 'A "continuity-index" for assessing ice-sheet dynamics from radar-sounded internal layers'. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 335-336, 88-94.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2012.04.034
  • Smith, A.M., Bentley, C.R., Bingham, R.G. & Jordan, T.A. (2012). 'Rapid subglacial erosion beneath Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica'. Geophysical Research Letters, 39, L12501.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2012GL051651

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Publications

Contributions to Journals

Articles

  • Fretwell, PT., Pritchard, HD., Vaughan, DG., plus 53 authors, I. & Bingham, RG. (2013). 'Bedmap2: improved ice bed, surface and thickness datasets for Antarctica'. The Cryosphere, vol 7, no. 1, pp. 375-393.
    [Online] DOI: 10.5194/tc-7-375-2013
    [Online] AURA: tc_7_375_2013.pdf
  • Jordan, TA., Ferraccioli, F., Ross, N., Corr, HFJ., Leat, PT., Bingham, RG., Rippin, DM., Le Brocq, AM. & Siegert, MJ. (2013). 'Inland extent of the Weddell Sea Rift imaged by new aerogeophysical data'. Tectonophysics, vol 585, pp. 137-160.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2012.09.010
    [Online] AURA: 1_s2.0_S0040195112005689_main.pdf
  • Smith, AM., Jordan, TA., Ferraccioli, F. & Bingham, RG. (2013). 'Influence of subglacial conditions on ice stream dynamics: Seismic and potential field data from Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica'. Journal of Geophysical Research, vol 118, pp. B009582.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2012JB009582
  • Ross, N., Jordan, TA., Bingham, RG., Corr, HFJ., Ferraccioli, F., Le Brocq, AM., Rippin, DM., Wright, AP. & Siegert, MJ. (in press). 'The Ellsworth Subglacial Highlands: inception and retreat of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet'. Geological Society of America Bulletin.
  • Ross, N., Bingham, RG., Corr, HFJ., Ferraccioli, F., Jordan, TA., Le Brocq, A., Rippin, DM., Young, D., Blankenship, DD. & Siegert, MJ. (2012). 'Steep reverse bed slope at the grounding line of the Weddell Sea sector in West Antarctica'. Nature Geoscience, vol 5, pp. 393-396.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1038/ngeo1468
  • Karlsson, NB., Rippin, DM., Bingham, RG. & Vaughan, DG. (2012). 'A "continuity-index" for assessing ice-sheet dynamics from radar-sounded internal layers'. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol 335-336, pp. 88-94.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.epsl.2012.04.034
  • Smith, AM., Bentley, CR., Bingham, RG. & Jordan, TA. (2012). 'Rapid subglacial erosion beneath Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica'. Geophysical Research Letters, vol 39, L12501, pp. L12501.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2012GL051651
    [Online] AURA: 2012_Smith_GRL_PIGerosion.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., Ferraccioli, F., King, EC., Larter, RD., Pritchard, HD., Smith, AM. & Vaughan, DG. (2012). 'Inland thinning of West Antarctic Ice Sheet steered along subglacial rifts'. Nature, vol 487, pp. 468-471.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1038/nature11292
  • Swift, DA., Sanderson, DCW., Nienow, PW., Bingham, RG. & Cochrane, IC. (2011). 'Anomalous luminescence of subglacial sediment at Haut Glacier d'Arolla, Switzerland: a consequence of resetting at the glacier bed?'. Boreas, vol 40, no. 3, pp. 446-458.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1111/j.1502-3885.2010.00196.x
  • Bindschadler, R., Choi, H., Wichlacz, A., Bingham, RG., Bohlander, J., Brunt, K., Corr, H., Drews, R., Fricker, H., Hall, M., Hindmarsh, R., Kohler, J., Padman, L., Rack, W., Rotschky, G., Urbini, S., Vornberger, P. & Young, N. (2011). 'Getting around Antarctica: new high-resolution mappings of the grounded and freely-floating boundaries of the Antarctic ice sheet created for the International Polar Year'. The Cryosphere, vol 5, pp. 569-588.
    [Online] DOI: 10.5194/tc-5-569-2011
    [Online] AURA: 2011_Bindschadler_TC_ASAID.pdf
  • Vaughan, DG., Barnes, DKA., Fretwell, PT. & Bingham, RG. (2011). 'Potential seaways across West Antarctica'. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems G³, vol 12, Q10004.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2011GC003688
    [Online] AURA: 2011_Vaughan_G3_AAseaways.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., King, E., Smith, A. & Pritchard, H. (2010). 'Glacial geomorphology: Towards a convergence of glaciology and geomorphology'. Progress in Physical Geography, vol 34, no. 3, pp. 327-355.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1177/0309133309360631
  • Scott, JBT., Smith, AM., Bingham, RG. & Vaughan, DG. (2010). 'Crevasses triggered on Pine Island Glacier, West Antarctica, by drilling through an exceptional melt layer'. Annals of Glaciology, vol 51, no. 55, pp. 65-70.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/172756410791392763
    [Online] AURA: 2010_Scott_AGlac_PIG_crevasse.pdf
  • Xin, L., Bo, S., Siegert, MJ., Bingham, RG., Tang, X., Zhang, D., Cui, X. & Zhang, X. (2010). 'Characterization of subglacial landscapes by a two-parameter roughness index'. Journal of Glaciology, vol 56, no. 199, pp. 831-836.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/002214310794457326
    [Online] AURA: 2010_LiXin_JGlac_Ant_roughness.pdf
  • Bingham, RG. & Siegert, MJ. (2009). 'Quantifying subglacial bed roughness in Antarctica: implications for ice-sheet dynamics and history'. Quaternary Science Reviews, vol 28, pp. 223-236.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.10.014
  • Scott, JBT., Gudmundsson, GH., Smith, AM., Bingham, RG., Pritchard, HD. & Vaughan, DG. (2009). 'Increased rate of acceleration on Pine Island Glacier strongly coupled to changes in gravitational driving stress'. The Cryosphere, vol 3, pp. 125-131.
    [Online] DOI: 10.5194/tc-3-125-2009
    [Online] AURA: 2009_Scott_TC_PIG_GPS.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., Hubbard, AL., Nienow, PW. & Sharp, MJ. (2008). 'An investigation into the mechanisms controlling seasonal speedup events at a High Arctic glacier'. Journal of Geophysical Research, vol 113, no. F2, pp. F02006.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2007JF000832
    [Online] AURA: 2008_Bingham_JGR_JEG_modelling.pdf
  • Bell, C., Mair, DWF., Burgess, D., Sharp, MJ., Demuth, M., Cawkwell, FGL., Bingham, RG. & Wadham, JL. (2008). 'Spatial and temporal variability in the snowpack of a High Arctic ice cap: implications for mass-change measurements'. Annals of Glaciology, vol 48, no. 1, pp. 159-170.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/172756408784700725
    [Online] AURA: 2008_Bell_AGlac_Devon_snowpack.pdf
  • Hansom, JD., Evans, DJA., Sanderson, DCW., Bingham, RG. & Bentley, MJ. (2008). 'Constraining the age and formation of stone runs in the Falkland Islands using optically stimulated luminescence'. Geomorphology, vol 94, no. 1-2, pp. 117-130.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.05.006
  • Bingham, RG. & Siegert, MJ. (2007). 'Radar-derived bed roughness characterization of Institute and Möller Ice Streams, West Antarctica, and comparison with Siple Coast ice streams'. Geophysical Research Letters, vol 34, L21504.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2007GL031483
    [Online] AURA: 2007_Bingham_GRL_IIS_roughness.pdf
  • Bingham, RG. & Siegert, MJ. (2007). 'Radio-Echo Sounding Over Polar Ice Masses'. Journal of Environmental & Engineering Geophysics, vol 12, pp. 47-62.
    [Online] DOI: 10.2113/JEEG12.1.47
    [Online] AURA: 2007_Bingham_JEEG_Radar_review.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., Siegert, MJ., Young, DA. & Blankenship, DD. (2007). 'Organized flow from the South Pole to the Filchner-Ronne ice shelf: An assessment of balance velocities in interior East Antarctica using radio echo sounding data'. Journal of Geophysical Research, vol 112, F03S26.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1029/2006JF000556
    [Online] AURA: 2007_Bingham_JGR_SFIS_SPole.pdf
  • Pritchard, HD. & Bingham, RG. (2007). 'Exploration glaciology: Radar and Antarctic ice'. Physics Education, vol 42, no. 5, pp. 442-456.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1088/0031-9120/42/5/001
    [Online] AURA: 2007_Pritchard_PhysEd_Radar_ice.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., Nienow, PW., Sharp, MJ. & Copland, L. (2006). 'Hydrology and dynamics of a polythermal (mostly cold) High Arctic glacier'. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol 31, no. 12, pp. 1463-1479.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1002/esp.1374
    [Online] AURA: 2006_Bingham_ESPL_JEG_Geodvels.pdf
  • Bingham, RG., Nienow, PW., Sharp, MJ. & Boon, S. (2005). 'Subglacial drainage processes at a High Arctic polythermal valley glacier'. Journal of Glaciology, vol 51, pp. 15-24.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/172756505781829520
  • Bingham, RG., Nienow, PW. & Sharp, MJ. (2003). 'Intra-annual and intra-seasonal flow dynamics of a High Arctic polythermal valley glacier'. Annals of Glaciology, vol 37, pp. 181-188.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/172756403781815762
  • Bingham, RG., Hulton, NRJ. & Dugmore, AJ. (2003). 'Modelling the southern extent of the last Icelandic ice-sheet'. Journal of Quaternary Science, vol 18, pp. 169-181.
    [Online] DOI: 10.1002/jqs.734
  • Copland, L., Sharp, MJ., Nienow, PW. & Bingham, RG. (2003). 'The distribution of basal motion beneath a High Arctic polythermal glacier'. Journal of Glaciology, vol 49, pp. 407-414.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/172756503781830511

Reviews of Books, Films and Articles

  • Bingham, RG. (2011). 'Review of the Encyclopaedia of Snow, Ice and Glaciers'. Journal of Glaciology, vol 57, no. 206, pp. 1171-1172.
    [Online] DOI: 10.3189/002214311798843467
    [Online] AURA: j11j218.pdf

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