Gonzalo Gonzalez De Diego

I am interested in the development of numerical methods for studying glaciers and ice sheets to help us comprehend their dynamics and their role in our climate system. My PhD research has focused on viscous contact problems, in which a viscous fluid slides on a solid surface from which it can detach and reattach. Since ice is usually modelled as a viscous fluid with a nonlinear rheology, such problems arise in glaciology. One example is that of a marine ice sheet, which slides from the continent and into the ocean, where it goes afloat at the grounding line. Given that large areas of the West Antarctica are floating ice shelves, the dynamics of grounding lines are extremely important for understanding how these masses of ice will evolve in our changing climate.