Miss Clare Boston
PhD student

School of Geography
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road, London E1 4NS
c.boston@qmul.ac.uk

PhD Research

Title: Patterns and timing of Lateglacial glaciation in the Monadhliath Mountains, central Scotland

Research Outline


Moraines within Corrie Yairack

The Monadhliath Mountains comprise of an extensive plateau area, which has received very little palaeo-glaciological research in the past.  This PhD research therefore provides the first systematic geomorphological mapping of the whole area.  Given significant recent advances in our understanding of glacier and ice sheet dynamics, alongside considerable developments in remote sensing technologies, it is perceived that a detailed (re-) investigation of this area will provide new insights into glacier behaviour and palaeoclimate in Monadhliath Mountains.

The need for this re-investigation was emphasized by a recent model of Younger Dryas glaciation in Scotland by Golledge et al. (2008), which suggested that the plateau was high and wide enough to support the existence of an icefield during this time.   My PhD research therefore aims at elucidating the existence and timing of plateau icefield glaciation in the Monadhliath Mountains.


Moraines and meltwater channels showing ice flow from the plateau into Coire Easgainn

This has been achieved primarily through geomorphological mapping of glacial, periglacial and fluvial features. NEXTMap DEMs were used initially for reconnaissance mapping, before more detailed mapping in the field and from aerial photographs was carried out to produce the final versions.  A relative chronology of Lateglacial events in the area was established using a morphostratigraphic approach (cf. Lukas 2006), which suggests that the most recent glacial event in the Monadhliath Mountains was during the Younger Dryas.

At selected sites, the sedimentology of exposed sediments has been used to aid landform interpretation and provide information on subglacial and ice marginal processes and ice mass dynamics. Samples have also been taken, and are currently being processed, for optically-stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, in order to further constrain the sequence of events.


Glaciotectonised sediments near Loch Killin

Supervised by: Dr Sven Lukas and Dr Simon Carr

 

Skills
Geomorphological mapping and analysis
Morphostratigraphy
Glacier reconstruction and palaeo-ELA calculations
Sedimentology
OSL dating
Till geochemistry

Experienced using
ESRI ArcGIS
Erdas Imagine
Adobe Illustrator
Topcon Differential GPS
Stata

Background
MSc. (by Research), 2007. An examination of the geochemical properties of Late Devensian glacigenic sediments in eastern England. Department of Geography, Durham University. Supervised by Dr David Evans and Professor Colm O’Cofaigh.

BSc. (Hons), Geography, 2006.  Durham University

 

Publications

  • Boston, C.M. Evans, D.J.A., Ó Cofaigh, C. 2010.  Styles of till deposition at the margin of the Last Glacial Maximum North Sea lobe of the British-Irish Ice Sheet: an assessment based on the geochemical properties of glacigenic deposits in eastern England.  Quaternary Science Reviews 29: 3184–3211.

Conference Presentations

  • Boston, C.M., Lukas, S., Carr, S.J 2011. Reconstructing Younger Dryas ice extent and constraining ice thickness in the Monadhliath Mountains, Central Scotland. European Geosciences Union, Vienna, April 2011, Oral.
    Boston, C.M. 2010. Evidence for a Lateglacial plateau icefield in the Monadhliath Mountains, central Scotland. Quaternary Research Association, International Postgraduate Symposium, Exeter, August 2010, Oral.
    Boston, C.M., Lukas, S., Carr, S.J. 2010. Evidence for a Lateglacial plateau icefield in the Monadhliath Mountains, central Scotland. European Geosciences Union, Vienna, May 2010, Poster.
    Boston, C.M., Lukas, S., Carr. S. 2009. Geomorphological mapping in the Monadhliath Mountains, central Scotland: assessing the use of remotely sensed data and field surveys.  British Society for Geomorphology Annual Conference, Durham, September 2009. Poster.
    Boston, C.M., Evans, D.J.A., Ó Cofaigh, C. 2008.  An examination of the geochemical properties of Late Devensian glacigenic sediments in eastern England. QRA Annual Discussion Meeting, RGS London, January 2008, Poster.

Relevant literature

  • Golledge, N.R., Hubbard, A., Sugden, D.E., 2008. High-resolution numerical simulation of Younger Dyras glaciation in Scotland. Quaternary Science Reviews, 27: 888–904.
    Lukas, S. 2006. Morphostratigraphic principles in glacier reconstruction - a perspective from the British Younger Dryas. Progress in Physical Geography 30: 719–736.