APPLICATION OF A TWO-DIMENSIONAL NUMERICAL ICE DYNAMICS MODEL TO THE FINGER LAKES REGION OF NEW YORK STATE

Successful development and use of robust numerical models of ice dynamics is achieved by application to a wide variety of settings. The subject two-dimensional model utilizes local climate and digital elevation data and has been applied to various topographic and climatic regimes with promising returns. The Finger Lakes region of New York State is an ideal testing ground for this model due to the abundance of glacial landform assemblages that can be used to evaluate model output.

The Finger Lakes reside in deep bedrock valleys that exhibit evidence of significant glacial erosion. These troughs were created by the Laurentide Ice Sheet over the course of repeated advance and retreat. Several glacial-geomorphic features in the study area provide targets for ice sheet simulation. For example, spatial correlation of the simulated ice sheet margin with the Valley Heads moraine complex affords evaluation of ice sheet model mechanics. In addition, drumlin orientation and elongation preserve ice flow direction and velocity, respectively, and have been spatially compared to model results.

Further enhancement of the model will allow for simulated landscape evolution of increasing detail. Progress regarding glacial erosion performed by the ice sheet model will permit investigation of landscape evolution and provide insight into the origin of glacial features like the Finger Lake valleys. Mapping of the thermal regime within the ice sheet will provide critical insight into the role of a varying basal thermal regime in glacial erosion processes. These topics are presented as long term objectives aimed to further develop the subject ice dynamics model.