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Glaciology (GLACIOL)

Faculty of Sciences | IGEAT - Institute for Geography, Environment and Land planning

(Code: ULB182)


Person in charge of the unit : PATTYN Frank.

The Laboratoire de Glaciologie of the Faculty of Sciences of the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is a research unit focused on the study of glaciers
and ice sheets and their relation within the climate system.The GEMICE group (Geophysics and Modelling of Ice) is specialized in the development of
numerical ice sheet models, applied to specific glaciological problems, such as grounding lines, ice streams, ice sheet/ice shelf transitions, subglacial lake
interconnection, subglacial polythermal conditions etc. Validation of these models is currently done using overland and airborne geophysics, such as radio-echo
sounding. Field work is concentrated on polythermal glaciers and Antarctic.The PROPICE (Properties of ice) group focuses on physico-chemical properties of
''interface ice'', such as ice-bedrock, ice-ocean or ice-atmosphere. This expertise is based on polar field expeditions (Arctic and Antarctic) and on the
development of analytical techniques for the multi-parametric study of ice rich in solid or liquid impurities: texture and fabric, stable oxygen and
hydrogen isotopes, total gas content and gas composition, bulk salinity, chemistry, etc.The main objective of the Laboratoire de Glaciologie is a better
understanding of initial and boundary conditions of large ice masses (continental or marine), together with a comprehensive approach of the processes governing
their interactions with the climate, more specifically in the framework of the potential impact of mankind on future climate at a global scale. It has been
involved in EU Framework projects FP5, FP6 and FP7.The Laboratoire de Glaciology counts two academics who are responsible for teaching physical geography,
glaciology and (palaeo-) climatology courses in the Bachelor of Geographical Sciences and the Master of Management and Science of the Environment of the
ULB.

Campus : Campus du Solbosch
Location : Bâtiment D, niveau 4
Address : CP160/03 - Avenue F.D. Roosevelt, 50 - 1050 Bruxelles
Phone number : +32-2-650.22.27
E-mail : glaciol@ulb.be
Web site : https://glaciologie.ulb.be/