The Applied Mathematics graduate program at the University of California, Merced will be discussed during the first half of the talk. In the second half of the talk, Petra’s work applying numerical analysis, linear algebra and optimization, to the dynamics of the Antarctic ice sheet will be discussed. Ice sheet flow models contain unknown parameters, due either to our inability to directly observe them, or their role as phenomenological parameters that must be constrained by data. I will present an in- version technique that allows us to solve very large-scale problems, such as the Antarctic ice sheet problem. This research will help climate scientists better under- stand the flow of Antarctic ice from the continent into the sea and its effect on the sea level rise. 

Series supported by Instructionally-Related Activities Funds

Coffee, tea, and cookies at 3:45