Projects per year
Organization profile
Organisation profile
The Research Unit of Physical Geography develops activities along two main fields:
1. Ice and Climate (contact P. Huybrechts)
2. Volcanology, geomorphology, and natural hazards (contact M. Kervyn)
Ice and Climate
The Ice and Climate research group focuses on the dynamics of glaciers and ice sheets and their interaction with the climatic system. Emphasis is laid on the development and application of three-dimensional thermomechanical ice flow models of the continental cryosphere (Greenland, Antarctica, Quaternary ice sheets of the northern hemisphere), complemented with field-based activities on alpine glaciers.
Current projects aim at a better understanding of the response of the large polar ice sheets to a warming climate, the dynamics of mountain glaciers and small ice caps, and the evolution of global sea level on centennial to millennial time scales. Key periods during the past such as the Last Interglacial are studied with Earth System Models focusing on ice sheet-ocean and ice sheet-atmosphere interactions. Nested flow models applied to ice-core locations on both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheet are used to assist with the dating and interpretation of ice-core records.
New research efforts being developed include the assimilation of satellite-based remote sensing data to better initialise ice sheet models and the interactive coupling of ice sheet models with regional climate and ocean models at high resolution.
Volcanology, geomorphology and natural hazards
The Volcanology, Geomorphology and Natural hazards research group focuses on the study of hazardous geomorphological and volcanological processes in developing countries, with a specific attention to volcano geomorphology, volcano-tectonic processes and landslides. Current projects are dedicated to the study of hazardous morpho-structural processes in active volcanic regions, including the modelling of volcano growth through eruptive and intrusive processes, lava flow emplacement, flank collapse, interactions with tectonic structures and erosion processes. The applications concentrate in volcanic regions of Africa including North Tanzania, the Virunga Volcanic Province in D.R. Congo, Mt Cameroon, and Mt Karthala in the Comores.
A new research effort is currently being developed to study slope instabilities in developing countries, modelling the spatial distribution of hazards, and studying the impact and remediation strategies for local populations. A growing attention is also paid to the perception and adaptation of population to geohazards.
Research approaches involve combining remote sensing and field observations with scaled quantitative analogue models and application of existing numerical models.
Keywords
- Remote Sensing
- Climatic Technique
- Environmental Research
- Slope Processes
- Glaciology
- Mapping
- Environmental Mapping
- Antarctic Research
- Glacier Modelling Technique
- Pure And Applied Geomorphology
- Climatology And Climatic Change
- Volcanology
Fingerprint
Network
Profiles
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Ante Ivcevic
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Geography - Post-doctoral scholarship, Academic
- Physical Geography
Person: Researcher
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Matthieu Kervyn De Meerendre
- Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Geography - Undefined, Academic
- Physical Geography
Person: Researcher, Professor
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MORPHEUS: Variability of explosive volcanic eruptions: interdependence of source morphology and eruptive style
Tournigand, P. & Kervyn De Meerendre, M.
1/11/20 → 31/10/23
Project: Fundamental
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FEDTWIN1: GeohazarDs in AfricaN CitiEs: patterns, rates and sustainability in urban-sprawling contexts
Kervyn De Meerendre, M. & Smets, B.
1/10/20 → 30/09/25
Project: Fundamental
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EUAR32: H2020: RIA: PROTECT: PROjecTing sEa-level rise : from iCe sheets to local implicaTions
1/09/20 → 31/08/24
Project: Fundamental
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FWOAL952: Modelling temporal evolution of volcano landscape through erosion (EVoLvE)
1/01/20 → 31/12/23
Project: Fundamental
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VLIR373: Digital citizen science for community-based resilient environmental management
Kervyn De Meerendre, M., De Cupere, F. & Motmans, J.
1/01/19 → 31/08/23
Project: Fundamental
Research output
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Brief communication: Measuring and modelling the ice thickness of the Grigoriev ice cap (Kyrgyzstan) and comparison with global datasets.
Van Tricht, L., Paice, C., Rybak, O. & Huybrechts, P., 15 Mar 2023, (Submitted) In: The Cryosphere. p. 1 8 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
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Building a prepared community to volcanic risk: assessment of awareness raising tools for secondary school in Goma, (Eastern DR Congo)
Mafuko Nyandwi, B., Kervyn, M., Muhashy Habiyaremye, F., Kervyn, F. & Michellier, C., 22 Feb 2023, 1 p. EGU General Assembly Conference Abstracts.Research output: Other contribution
Open AccessFile -
Differences in volcanic risk perception among Goma's population before the Nyiragongo eruption of May 2021, Virunga volcanic province (DR Congo)
Mafuko Nyandwi, B., Kervyn, M., Habiyaremye, F. M., Kervyn, F. & Michellier, C., 3 Mar 2023, In: Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences. 23, 2, p. 933–953 21 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open Access -
Foundations of indigenous knowledge on disasters due to natural hazards: lessons from the outlook on floods among the Bayira of the Rwenzori region
Bwambale, B., Muhumuza, M., Kahigwa, T. T., Baluku, S. M. B., Kasozi, H., Nyeko, M. & Kervyn, M., Jan 2023, In: DISASTERS. 47, 1, p. 181-204 24 p.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
3 Citations (Scopus) -
Insights into volcano degradation from analogue modelling: how volcano shape and size influence runoff erosion and morphology
van Wees, R. M. J., Paguican, E. M., O'Hara, D., Kereszturi, G., Grosse, P., Lahitte, P. & Kervyn, M., 1 Feb 2023.Research output: Unpublished contribution to conference › Poster
File
Activities
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Quantitative analysis of morphometric evolution through degradation of subduction arc composite volcanoes
Roos van Wees (Speaker), Daniel O'Hara (Contributor), Gabor Kereszturi (Contributor), Pablo Grosse (Contributor), Pierre Lahitte (Contributor) & Matthieu Kervyn De Meerendre (Contributor)
3 Feb 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Exploring the coupling between regional volcanism and climate in the Cascades Arc (U.S) with regional patterns of volcanic edifice erosion
Daniel O'Hara (Speaker) & Leif Karlstrom (Contributor)
3 Feb 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Understanding volcanic edifice degradation and age by measuring drainage development and evolution.
Daniel O'Hara (Presenter), Liran Goren (Contributor), Roos van Wees (Contributor), Benjamin Campforts (Contributor), Pablo Grosse (Contributor), Pierre Lahitte (Contributor), Gabor Kereszturi (Contributor) & Matthieu Kervyn De Meerendre (Contributor)
1 Feb 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a conference
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Science Advances (Journal)
Daniel O'Hara (Peer reviewer)
Feb 2023Activity: Publication peer-review and editorial work › Publication peer-review
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Paradox of volcanic risk mitigation in Goma: overview of risk perception and adaptation behaviors before and after the eruption of Nyiragongo in 2021 (Eastern DR Congo)
Blaise Mafuko Nyandwi (Speaker), Matthieu Kervyn De Meerendre (Contributor), François Muhashy Habiyaremye (Contributor), François Kervyn (Speaker) & Caroline Michellier (Speaker)
10 Feb 2023Activity: Talk or presentation › Talk or presentation at a workshop/seminar
Equipment
Datasets
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Results of ISMIP6 CMIP6 forced simulations: a multi-model ensemble of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet evolution over the 21st century
Payne, A. J. (Creator), Nowicki, S. (Creator), Abe-Ouchi, A. (Creator), Agosta, C. (Creator), Alexander, P. (Creator), Albrecht, T. (Creator), Asay-Davis, X. (Creator), Aschwanden, A. (Creator), Barthel, A. (Creator), Bracegirdle, T. J. (Creator), Calov, R. (Creator), Chambers, C. (Creator), Choi, Y. (Creator), Cullather, R. (Creator), Cuzzone, J. (Creator), Dumas, C. (Creator), Edwards, T. (Creator), Felikson, D. (Creator), Fettweis, X. (Creator), Galton-Fenzi, B. K. (Creator), Goelzer, H. (Creator), Gladstone, R. (Creator), Golledge, N. R. (Creator), Gregory, J. (Creator), Greve, R. (Creator), Hattermann, T. (Creator), Hoffman, M. J. (Creator), Humbert, A. (Creator), Huybrechts, P. (Creator), Jourdain, N. C. (Creator), Kleiner, T. (Creator), Munneke, P. K. (Creator), Larourl, E. (Creator), Le Clec'H, S. (Creator), Gonzales Fuentes, L. V. (Creator), Leguy, G. (Creator), Lipscomb, W. H. (Creator), Little, C. M. (Creator), Lowry, D. P. (Creator), Morlighem, M. (Creator), Nias, I. (Creator), Frank, P. (Creator), Pelle, T. (Creator), Price, S. F. (Creator), Quiquet, A. (Creator), Reese, R. (Creator), Ruckamp, M. (Creator), Schlegel, N. (Creator), Seroussi, H. (Creator), Shepherd, A. (Creator), Simon, E. (Creator), Slater, D. A. (Creator), Smith, R. S. (Creator), Straneo, F. (Creator), Sun, S. (Creator), Tarasov, L. (Creator), Trusel, L. D. (Creator), Van Breedam, J. (Creator), van de Wal, R. (Creator), van den Broeke, M. R. (Creator), Winkelmann, R. (Creator) & Zhao, C. (Creator), Zenodo, 3 Feb 2021
Dataset
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Mechanical test data of quartz sand, garnet sand, gypsum powder (plaster), kaolin and sand-plaster mixtures used as granular analogue materials in geoscience laboratory experiments
Poppe, S. Y. C. (Creator), Soens, B. (Creator) & Kervyn De Meerendre, M. (Creator), GFZ Data Services, 2021
DOI: 10.1016/j.tecto.2021.228976
Dataset
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Data set to ''Volcano growth versus deformation by strike-slip faults: morphometric characterization through analogue modelling'
Grosse, P. (Creator), Poppe, S. Y. C. (Creator), Delcamp, A. (Creator), van Wyk de Vries, B. (Creator) & Kervyn De Meerendre, M. (Creator), Zenodo, 31 Mar 2013
Dataset
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Results of the initMIP-Antarctica experiments: an ice sheet initialization intercomparison of ISMIP6
Seroussi, H. (Creator), Nowicki, S. C. (Creator), Abe-Ouchi, A. (Creator), Albrecht, T. (Creator), Brondex, J. (Creator), Cornford, S. (Creator), Dumas, C. (Creator), Gillet-Chaulet, F. (Creator), Goelzer, H. (Creator), Golledge, N. R. (Creator), Gregory, J. M. (Creator), Greve, R. (Creator), Hoffman, M. (Creator), Humbert, A. (Creator), Huybrechts, P. (Creator), Kleiner, T. (Creator), Larour, E. (Creator), Leguy, G. (Creator), Lipscomb, W. H. (Creator), Lowry, D. (Creator), Mengel, M. (Creator), Morlighem, M. (Creator), Pattyn, F. (Creator), Payne, A. J. (Creator), Pollard, D. (Creator), Price, S. F. (Creator), Quiquet, A. (Creator), Reerink, T. J. (Creator), Reese, R. (Creator), Rodehacke, C. B. (Creator), Schlegel, N. (Creator), Shepherd, A. (Creator), Sun, S. (Creator), Sutter, J. (Creator), Van Breedam, J. (Creator), Van De Wal, R. S. W. (Creator), Winkelmann, R. (Creator) & Zhang, T. (Creator), Zenodo, 25 Apr 2019
Dataset
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Oxygen isotope ratios, elevation changes and temperature record from the Agassiz ice cap and Greenland ice sheet
Lecavalier, B. (Creator), Milne, G. A. (Creator) & Huybrechts, P. (Creator), PANGAEA, 2019
DOI: 10.1594/PANGAEA.904116, http://10.1073/pnas.1616287114
Dataset