CLSTHES007 - Discovering Antarctica’s Secrets
Each year, nearly 4,000 scientists from 28 nations conduct experiments in Antarctica, including this course’s instructor, geologist Julia Smith Wellner, Ph.D. Antarctica is a continent covered almost entirely by ice, making exploration and discovery difficult. Extreme weather conditions are inhospitable to long-term human occupation and research programs. At the same time, Antarctica’s melting ice sheets are a major contributor to global sea-level rise and are expected to play an increasingly important role in global climate change. This course examines the role of modern technologies, including ships, satellites, undersea robots, ice cores and sediment cores in helping scientists unlock the mysteries of the Antarctic. These technologies not only offer insights into the changes taking place in Antarctica but also help us understand what effects these changes will have globally. Learn how researchers perform experiments in such harsh conditions, what they are discovering and what lies ahead in their scientific explorations.
Course Details
Julia Wellner, Ph.D., is an associate professor of stratigraphy, sedimentology and glacial processes at the University of Houston Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. A geologist who works primarily offshore Antarctica studying sea-level change and glacial history, Dr. Wellner has completed more than a dozen oceangoing expeditions collecting seismic data and sediment cores, including 11 seasons in Antarctica. Dr. Wellner earned her doctorate from Rice University, where she also completed a postdoctoral fellowship.
On campus
This course will be delivered on campus/in person. Classroom and parking information will be sent prior to your course start date.
Learn more about the steps Rice University is taking to keep our community safe and healthy at glasscock.rice.edu/coronavirus.
- Approaching the ice: Using ships to understand the Southern Ocean and the ice margin
- Bird’s-eye view: Satellite remote sensing reveals details of ice sheet
- What lies below? Drilling below the ice for long-term records
- Sharing Antarctic science: Video of recent drilling program and discussion of importance of outreach
- Robots and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs): Recent technology expanding access and understanding
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Houston