Physical Geography
Below is a list of potential PhD and / or Masters by Research projects within the area of Physical Geography. These are examples to give an idea of possible projects and the range of physical geography research interests and themes covered by the department. Other projects that are related to the research areas within Physical Geography (or interdisciplinary links with Human Geography or other cognate disciplines) are also welcome. Potential applicants should contact the relevant member of staff to discuss project ideas from the links below or alternatively, that are not on this list. The two Physical Geography groups with their major research themes are:
Catchment, River and Hillslope Science
Catchment, River and Hillslope Science (CRHS) covering:
- Catchment hydrology, diffuse pollution, sediment transfers, and landscape evolution
- River channel hydraulics, sediment transport, and channel change
- Mechanisms, rock / soil properties, and hillslope stability
Quaternary Environmental Change
Quaternary Environmental Change (QEC) covering:
- Sea-level reconstruction and modelling
- Ice sheet and glacier reconstruction and modelling
- Glacial landforms and sediments
- Quaternary fluvial systems
- Palaeoceanography
Potential topics are grouped into the 4 research themes below:
Ice Sheets & Sea Level
- Evidence for Acceleration in Global Sea Level (2 PhD topics)
- Geophysical Investigation of Ice Stream Bedforms (MSc or PhD)
- Holocene Sea-Ice Variability and Ocean Circulation from the West Greenland Margin (MSc or PhD)
- Ice, Oceans and Climate Interactions through the Quaternary (MSc or PhD)
- Late Holocene Palaeo-Seismicity of Southern Tierra del Fuego from Sediment Records. Lago Fagnano, Patagonia
- Mid-Late Holocene Sea-Level Changes in New Caledonia
- New Methods to Reconstruct Holocene Temperature Variations Close to the Ice Sheet Margin in Southwest Greenland
- Reconstruction of West Antarctic Ice Sheet History from Marine Sedimentary Archives
- The Origin of Bedrock Megagrooves in Glaciated Terrain
- Use of Avian Stomach Oil Deposits (‘Mumiyo’) for Reconstructing Antarctic Ice Sheet History, Palaeoceanography and Seabird Palaeodiet (Masters or PhD)
Climate Impacts
- Atmospheric CO2 Supplied by Weathering of Fossil Organic Carbon (PhD)
- Holocene Sea-Ice Variability and Ocean Circulation from the West Greenland Margin (MSc or PhD)
- Ice, Oceans and Climate Interactions through the Quaternary (MSc or PhD)
- Quaternary Fluvial Archives: The Study of Fluvial Sedimentary Records, Including Fossil Contents, in Britain and Elsewhere
Catchments & Rivers
- Maximising Information Iain from Catchment Monitoring and Modelling: An Integrated, Iterative Solution
- Connecting Water: Connecting People - A Study of Adaptive, Integrated Management of the Lower Wear Catchment
- Quaternary Fluvial Archives: The Study of Fluvial Sedimentary Records, Including Fossil Contents, in Britain and Elsewhere
- Processes and Forms of Rock Erosion in Bedrock Rivers and Rock Coasts
- Flume Modelling of Channelised Debris Flows (MSc or PhD)
- Rapid Assessment of Water Quality Pressures on Water Bodies Using New Tools and Techniques
- Improving the Representation of Vegetation in Hydraulic Models
- Balancing the Natural Environment and Sustainable Energy Production: The Case of Micro-Hydro Power Generation (MSc or PhD)
- Representing connection in hydrological landscapes (PhD)
- Modelling long-term nitrate pollution
For more information and questions on research topics please consult the research group websites (above) or contact a potential supervisor within your research area of interest or the Physical Geography Postgraduate Admissions tutor (physical.rpgadmissions@durham.ac.uk).