Ian Joughin

Ian JoughinIan Joughin continues his pioneering research into the use of differential SAR interferometry for the estimation of surface motion and topography of ice sheets. He combines the remote sensing with field work and modeling to solve ice dynamics problems. Solving the problems helps him understand the mass balance of the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets in response to climate change.

In addition to polar research, he also contributed to the development of algorithms that were used to mosaic data for the near-global map of topography from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM).

For more information see the Ice Sheet Studies at the Polar Science Center website.

In The News

Selected Publications

  • A. Shepherd, E. Ivins, E. Rignot, B. Smith, M. van den Broeke, I. Velicogna, P. Whitehouse, K. Briggs, I. Joughin, G. Krinner, S. Nowicki, T. Payne, T. Scambos, N. Schlegel, G. A, C. Agosta, A. Ahlstrøm, G. Babonis, V. Barletta, A. Blazquez, J. Bonin, B. Csatho, R. Cullather, D. Felikson, X. Fettweis, R. Forsberg, H. Gallee, A. Gardner, L. Gilbert, A. Groh, B. Gunter, E. Hanna, C. Harig, V. Helm, A. Horvath, M. Horwath, S. Khan, K. K. Kjeldsen, H. Konrad, P. Langen, B. Lecavalier, B. Loomis, S. Luthcke, M. McMillan, D. Melini, S. Mernild, Y. Mohajerani, P. Moore, J. Mouginot, G. Moyano, A. Muir, T. Nagler, G. Nield, J. Nilsson, B. Noël, I. Otosaka, M. E. Pattle, W. R. Peltier, N. Pie, R. Rietbroek, H. Rott, L. Sandberg-Sørensen, I. Sasgen, H. Save, B. Scheuchl, E. Schrama, L. Schröder, K.-W. Seo, S. Simonsen, T. Slater, G. Spada, T. Sutterley, M. Talpe, L. Tarasov, W. J. van de Berg, W. van der Wal, M. van Wessem, B. Dutt Vishwakarma, D. Wiese and B. Wouters. Mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2017. Nature, 558(7709):219–222, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0179-y

  • IMBIE [includes B. Smith & I. Joughin]. 2018. Mass balance of the Antarctic Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2017. Nature. 558:219–222. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0179-y

  • Liao, H., F. J. Meyer, B. Scheuchl, J. Mouginot, I. Joughin, E. Rignot. 2018. Ionospheric correction of InSAR data for accurate ice velocity measurement at polar regions, Remote Sensing of Environment, 209: 166-180, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2018.02.048.

  • Hogg, A.E., A. Shepherd, S.L. Cornford, K.H. Briggs, N. Gourmelen, J. Graham, I. Joughin, J. Mouginot, T. Nagler, A.J. Payne, E. Rignot, J. Wuite. (2017), Increased ice flow in Western Palmer Land linked to ocean melting, Geophys. Res. Lett., 44, doi: 10.1002/2016GL072110

  • Smith, B. E., Gourmelen, N., Huth, A., and Joughin, I.: Connected subglacial lake drainage beneath Thwaites Glacier, West Antarctica, The Cryosphere, 11, 451-467, doi:10.5194/tc-11-451-2017, 2017.

  • Joughin, I., D. E. Shean, B. E. Smith, and P. Dutrieux, Grounding line variability and subglacial lake drainage on Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43(17), 9093–9102, doi:10.1002/2016GL070259, 2016

  • Christianson, K., Bushuk, M., Dutrieux, P., Parizek, B.R., Joughin, I.R., Alley, R.B., Shean, D.E., Abrahamsen, E.P., Anandakrishnan, S., Heywood, K.J., Kim, T., Lee, S.H., Nicholls, K., Stanton, T., Truffer, M., Webber, B.G.M., Jenkings, A., Jacobs, S., Bindschadler, R., Holland, D.M., Sensitivity of Pine Island Glacier to observed ocean forcing: PIG response to ocean forcing, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43(20), 10,817-10,825, doi:10.1002/2016GL070500, 2016.

  • Joughin, I., Smith, B.E., Shean, D.E., Floricioiu, D., Brief Communication: Further summer speedup of Jakobshavn Isbrae, The Cryosphere, 8, 209-214, doi:10.5194/tc-8-209-2014, 2014.

  • Joughin, I., B. Smith, B. Medley, Marine Ice Sheet Collapse Potentially Under Way for the Thwaites Glacier Basin, West Antarctica, Science 16 May 2014: Vol. 344 no. 6185 pp. 735-738, DOI: 10.1126/science.1249055, 2014.

  • Padman, L., D. P. Costa, M. S. Dinniman, H. A. Fricker, M. E. Goebel, L. A. Huckstadt, A. Humbert, I. Joughin, J. T. M. Lenaerts, S. R. M. Ligtenberg, T. Scambos and M. R. van den Broeke “Oceanic controls on the mass balance of Wilkins Ice Shelf, Antarctica.” Journal Of Geophysical Research-Oceans 117, 2012.

  • Joughin, I. and R.B. Alley, Stability of the West Antarctic ice sheet in a warming world, Nature Geoscience, 4, 506-513, 2011.

  • Palmer, S., A. Shepherd, P. Nienow, and I. Joughin (2011), Seasonal speedup of the Greenland Ice Sheet linked to routing of surface water, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 302(3-4), 423-428.

  • McFadden, E. M., I. M. Howat, I. Joughin, B. Smith, and Y. Ahn, Changes in the dynamics of marine terminating outlet glaciers in west Greenland (2000-2009), J. Geophys. Res.-EarthSurf., 116, 2011.

  • Howat, I. M., Y. Ahn, I. Joughin, M. R. van den Broeke, J. T. M. Lenaerts, and B. Smith, Mass balance of Greenland’s three largest outlet glaciers, 2000-2010, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, 2011.

  • Sole, A. J., D. W. F. Mair, P. W. Nienow, I. D. Bartholomew, M. A. King, M. J. Burke, and I. Joughin (2011), Seasonal speedup of a Greenland marine-terminating outlet glacier forced by surface melt-induced changes in subglacial hydrology, Journal Of Geophysical Research- Earth Surface, 116 , 2011.

  • Colgan, W., H. Rajaram, R. Anderson, K. Steffen, T. Phillips, I. Joughin, H. J. Zwally, and W. Abdalati, The annual glaciohydrology cycle in the ablation zone of the Greenland ice sheet: Part 1. Hydrology model, Journal Of Glaciology, 57(204), 697-709, 2011.

  • Christoffersen, P., R. I. Mugford, K. J. Heywood, I. Joughin, J. A. Dowdeswell, J. P. M. Syvitski, A. Luckman, and T. J. Benham, Warming of waters in an East Greenland fjord prior to glacier retreat: mechanisms and connection to large-scale atmospheric conditions, Cryosphere, 5(3), 701-714, 2011.

  • Fricker, H. A., T. Scambos, S. Carter, C. Davis, T. Haran, and I. Joughin, Synthesizing multiple remote-sensing techniques for subglacial hydrologic mapping: application to a lake system beneath MacAyeal Ice Stream, West Antarctica, J. Glaciol., 56(196), 187-199, 2010.

  • Joughin, I., B. E. Smith, and D. M. Holland (2010), Sensitivity of 21st century sea level to ocean-induced thinning of Pine Island Glacier, Antarctica, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37.

  • Joughin, I., B. E. Smith, and W. Abdalati, Glaciological advances made with interferometric synthetic aperture radar, J. Glaciol., 56(200), 1026-1042, 2010.

  • Khan, S. A., L. Liu, J. Wahr, I. Howat, I. Joughin, T. van Dam, and K. Fleming, GPS measurements of crustal uplift near Jakobshavn Isbrae due to glacial ice mass loss, J. Geophys. Res.-Solid Earth, 115, 2010.

  • Krawczynski, M.J., M.D. Behn, S.B. Das, and I. Joughin,’ Constraints on the lake volume required for hydro-fracture through ice sheets’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, 10.1029/2008GL036765, 2009.

  • Joughin, I., S. Tulaczyk, J.L. Bamber, D. Blankenship, J.W. Holt, T. Scambos, and D.G. Vaughan,’ Basal conditions for Pine Island and Thwaites glaciers, West Antarctica, determined using satellite and airborne data’, J. Glaciol., 55, 245-257, 2009.

  • Smith, B.E., Fricker, H.A., Joughin, I.R.., and S. Tulaczyk, ‘An inventory of active subglacial lakes in Antarctica detected by ICESat (2003-2008)’, J. Glaciology, 55(192), 573-595, 2009.

  • Shepherd, A., A. Hubbard, P. Nienow, M. King, M. McMillan, and I. Joughin, Greenland ice sheet motion coupled with daily melting in late summer, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, 4, 2009.

  • Nick, F. M., A. Vieli, I. M. Howat, and I. Joughin, Large-scale changes in Greenland outlet glacier dynamics triggered at the terminus, Nat. Geosci., 2(2), 110-114, 2009.

  • Shepherd, A., A. Hubbard, M. King, M. McMillan, and I. Joughin,’ Greenland ice sheet motion coupled with daily melting in late summer’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, 10.1029/2008GL035758, 2009.

  • Joughin, I., I. Howat, M. Fahnestock, B. Smith, W. Krabill, R. Alley, H. Stern, and M. Truffer, 2008, Continued Evolution of Jakobshavn Isbrae Following its Rapid Speedup, J. Geophys. Res., 113, F04006, doi:10.1029/2008JF001023.

  • Alley, R. B., H. J. Horgan, I. Joughin, K. M. Cuffey, T. K. Dupont, B. R. Parizek, S. Anandakrishnan, and J. Bassis, A Simple Law for Ice-Shelf Calving, Science, 322(5906), 1344-1344,2008.

  • Alley, R. B., M. Fahnestock, and I. Joughin, Climate change understanding glacier flow in changing times, Science, 322(5904), 1061-1062, 2008.

  • Das, S. B., I. Joughin, M. Behn, M. King, I. M. Howat, D. Lizarralde, and M. Bahtia, Water- driven fracture propagation to the bed of the Greenland Ice Sheet during supraglacial lake drainage, Science, 320(5877), 778-781, 2008.

  • Howat, I. M., I. Joughin, M. Fahnestock, B. E. Smith, and T. A. Scambos, Synchronous retreat and acceleration of southeast Greenland outlet glaciers 2000-06: ice dynamics and coupling to climate, J. Glaciol., 54(187), 646-660, 2008.

  • Joughin, I., I. Howat, R. Alley, G. Ekstrom, M. Fahnestock, T. Moon, M. Nettles, M. Truffer, V. Tsai, “Ice-front variation and tidewater behavior on Helheim and Kangerdlugssuaq Glaciers, Greenland”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 13, F1, 2008.

  • Joughin, I., S. Das, M. King, B. Smith, I. Howat, T. Moon, “Seasonal speedup along the western flank of the Greenland Ice Sheet”, Science, 320, 5877, 2008.

  • Moon, T. and I. Joughin, “Changes in ice front position on Greenland’s outlet glaciers from 1992 to 2007”, Journal of Geophysical Research, 13, F2, 2008.

  • Payne, A. J., P. R. Holland, A. P. Shepherd, I. C. Rutt, A. Jenkins, and I. Joughin,’ Numerical modeling of ocean-ice interactions under Pine Island Bay’s ice shelf’, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 112(C10), 14., 2007

  • Howat, I. M., I. Joughin, and T. A. Scambos,’ Rapid changes in ice discharge from Greenland outlet glaciers’, Science, 315, 1559-1561, 2007.

  • Joughin, I., J. L. Bamber, T. Scambos, S. Tulaczyk, M. Fahnestock, and D. R. MacAyeal,’ Integrating satellite observations with modeling: basal shear stress of the Filcher-Ronne ice streams’, Antarctica, Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., A 364, 1795-1814, 2006.

  • Joughin, I., ‘Climate change – Greenland rumbles louder as glaciers accelerate’, Science, 311, 1719-1720, 2006.

  • Joughin, I., J. L. Bamber, T. Scambos, S. Tulaczyk, M. Fahnestock, and D. R. MacAyeal, Integrating satellite observations with modelling: basal shear stress of the Filcher-Ronne ice streams, Antarctica, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society a-Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences, 364, 1795-1814, 2006.

  • Vogel, S. W., Tulaczyk, S., Kamb, B., Engelhardt, H., Carsey, F. D., Behar, A. E., Lane, A. L. & Joughin, I,’ Subglacial conditions during and after stoppage of an Antarctic Ice Stream: Is reactivation imminent?’, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, 2005.

  • Hulbe, C. L., Johnston, R., Joughin, I. & Scambos, T.,’ Marine ice modification of fringing ice shelf flow’, Arctic Antarctic And Alpine Research, 37, 323-330, 2005.

  • Joughin, I. & Vaughan, D. G.,’ Marine ice beneath the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf: A comparison of estimated thickness distributions’, Annals of Glaciology , in press, 2005.

  • Larour, E., Rignot, E., Joughin, I. & Aubry, D.,’ Rheology of the Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica, inferred from satellite radar interferometry data using an inverse control method’, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, 2005.

  • Joughin, I., et al.,’ Continued deceleration of Whillans Ice Stream, West Antarctica’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, 2005.

  • Joughin, I. & MacAyeal, D. R,’ Calving of large tabular icebergs from ice shelf rift systems’, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, 2005.

  • Joughin, I. & Bamber, J. L.,’ Thickening of the ice stream catchments feeding the Filchner-Ronne Ice Shelf, Antarctica’, Geophysical Research Letters, 32, 2005.

  • Howat, I. M., I. Joughin, S. Tulaczyk, and S. Gogineni,’ Rapid retreat and acceleration of Helheim Glacier, east Greenland’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, 2005.

  • Gray, L., I. Joughin, S. Tulaczyk, V.B. Spikes, R. Bindschadler, and K.C. Jezek,’ Evidence for subglacial water transport in the West Antarctic ice sheet through three-dimensional satellite radar interferometry’, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, 10.1029/2004GL021387, 2005.

  • Alley, R. B., P. U. Clark, P. Huybrechts, and I. Joughin,’ Ice-sheet and sea-level changes’, Science, 310, 456-460, 2005.

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