UC Research Profile - University of Canterbury

Dr Heather Purdie

Contact

Department: School of Earth and Environment

Email: heather.purdie@canterbury.ac.nz

Direct Dial: +64 3 3694131

Office: Beatrice Tinsley Rm 225

Language: English

About

Research / Creative works

Projects

Methods & Equipment

Fields of Research

Glacier Mass Balance
Glacier Dynamics
Glacier Tourism
Alpine/Mountain Environments
Antarctic Glaciology

Researcher Summary

My research expertise is in the field of glaciology, specifically glacier mass balance, dynamics, and climate change, with a focus on mountain glaciers in Te Tiritiri-o-te-moana, the New Zealand Southern Alps. I am very interested in glaciological change that occurs over short temporal scales; that which impacts utilization of the glacier resource, for example glacier-tourism. I also focus on interactions and feedbacks between all aspects of glacier mass balance from snow accumulation processes to ablation processes, including the role of avalanche nourishment to glacier resilience. Most recently, I have been exploring rapid change at lake-calving glaciers, and the impact that crevasses have on glacier mass balance...

Current research projects:
* The role of crevasses on surface energy balance of alpine glaciers
* Bathymetric and terminus evolution at lake calving glaciers
* Morphological evolution and feedbacks at retreating glacier termini
* Characteristics of alpine snowpacks - managing snow in a warming world
* Implications of glacier retreat on tourism and recreation

Subject Area: Disciplines

Earth Sciences: Glaciology ; Physical Geography

Resources

Do crevasses make glaciers melt faster?

Research/Scholarly/Creative Works

Journal Articles

Gomez-Fell R., Marsh OJ., Rack W., Wild CT. and Purdie H. (2023) Basal mass balance and prevalence of ice tongues in the Western ross sea. Frontiers in Earth Science 11 http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/feart.2023.1057761.

Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Katurji M., Schumacher B., Kerr T. and Bealing P. (2023) Variability in the vertical temperature profile within crevasses at an alpine glacier. Journal of Glaciology 69(274): 410-424. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.73.

Carrivick JL., Sutherland JL., Huss M., Purdie H., Stringer CD., Grimes M., James WHM. and Lorrey AM. (2022) Coincident evolution of glaciers and ice-marginal proglacial lakes across the Southern Alps, New Zealand: Past, present and future. Global and Planetary Change 211 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2022.103792.

Gomez-Fell R., Rack W., Purdie H. and Marsh O. (2022) Parker Ice Tongue Collapse, Antarctica, Triggered by Loss of Stabilizing Land-Fast Sea Ice. Geophysical Research Letters 49(1) http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2021GL096156.

Lorrey AM., Vargo L., Purdie H., Anderson B., Cullen NJ., Sirguey P., MacKintosh A., Willsman A., MacAra G. and Chinn W. (2022) Southern Alps equilibrium line altitudes: Four decades of observations show coherent glacier-climate responses and a rising snowline trend. Journal of Glaciology 68(272): 1127-1140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2022.27.

Baumann S., Anderson B., Chinn T., MacKintosh A., Collier C., Lorrey AM., Rack W., Purdie H. and Eaves S. (2021) Updated inventory of glacier ice in New Zealand based on 2016 satellite imagery. Journal of Glaciology 67(261): 13-26. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/jog.2020.78.

Porhemmat R., Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Zammit C. and Kerr T. (2021) Moisture Transport during Large Snowfall Events in the New Zealand Southern Alps: The Role of Atmospheric Rivers. Journal of Hydrometeorology 22(2): 425-444. http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/jhm-d-20-0044.1.

Porhemmat R., Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Zammit C. and Kerr T. (2021) The influence of atmospheric circulation patterns during large snowfall events in New Zealand's Southern Alps. International Journal of Climatology 41(4): 2397-2417. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/joc.6966.

Purdie H., Bealing P., Gomez C., Anderson B. and Marsh OJ. (2021) Morphological changes to the terminus of a maritime glacier during advance and retreat phases: Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tuawe, New Zealand. Geografiska Annaler, Series A: Physical Geography 103(2): 167-185. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2020.1840179.

Cody E., Anderson BM., McColl ST., Fuller IC. and Purdie HL. (2020) Paraglacial adjustment of sediment slopes during and immediately after glacial debuttressing. Geomorphology 371 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2020.107411.

Purdie H., Hughes Hutton J., Stewart E. and Espiner S. (2020) Implications of a changing alpine environment for geotourism: A case study from Aoraki/Mount Cook, New Zealand. Journal of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism 29 100235: 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2019.100235.

Gomez C. and Purdie HL. (2018) Point cloud technology and 2D computational flow dynamic modeling for rapid hazards and disaster risk appraisal on Yellow Creek fan, Southern Alps of New Zealand. Progress in Earth and Planetary Science 5(50): 10. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40645-018-0208-3.

Purdie H., Anderson B., Mackintosh A. and Lawson W. (2018) Revisiting glaciological measurements on Haupapa/Tasman Glacier, New Zealand, in a contemporary context. Geografiska Annaler, Series A: Physical Geography 100(4): 351-369. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/04353676.2018.1522958.

Purdie HL. and Kerr T. (2018) Aoraki Mount Cook: Environmental change on an iconic mountaineering route. Mountain Research and Development 38(4): 364-379. http://dx.doi.org/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-18-00042.1.

Gomez C. and Purdie H. (2016) UAV-based photogrammetry and geocomputing for hazards and disaster risk monitoring - a review. Geoenvironmental Disasters 3(23): 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40677-016-0060-y.

Purdie H., Bealing P., Tidey E., Gomez C. and Harrison J. (2016) Bathymetric evolution of Tasman Glacier terminal lake, New Zealand, as determined by remote surveying techniques. Global and Planetary Change 147: 1-11. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2016.10.010.

Stewart EJ., Wilson J., Espiner S., Purdie H., Lemieux C. and Dawson J. (2016) Implications of climate change for glacier tourism. Tourism Geographies 18(4): 377-398. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14616688.2016.1198416.

Chapters

Purdie H. (2023) Revisiting the Nuns Veil. In Bruere W (Ed.), Adventures in Climate Science: Scientists' tales from the frontiers of climate change: 97-110. New South Wales, Australia: Woodslane Press.

Purdie H., Espiner S. and Gomez C. (2018) Geotourism and risk: a case study of a rockfall hazard at Fox Glacier, New Zealand. In Dowling R; Newsome D (Ed.), Handbook of Geotourism Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing. http://dx.doi.org/10.4337/9781785368868.00020.

Shulmeister J., Davies TRH., Bostock H., Purdie H., Nicol A., Shane PA. and McGlone M. (2017) Adrift in the Anthropocene. Landscape and Quaternary Environmental Change in New Zealand: 313-334.Atlantis Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.2991/978-94-6239-237-3_9.

Conference Contributions - Other

Lin D., Katurji M. and Purdie H. (2023) Impact of crevasses on surface energy balance at an alpine glacier. Vienna, Austria: EGU General Assembly 2023, 23-28 Apr 2023.

Gomez-Fell R., Rack W., Purdie H. and Marsh O. (2022) Antarctic ice tongue collapse triggered by loss of stabilizing land-fast sea ice. Vienna, Austria: EGU General Assembly 2022, 23-27 May 2022.

Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Schumacher B., Katurji M. and Bealing P. (2022) Air temperature variability inside crevasses in the accumulation area of a maritime glacier in the Southern Alps, New Zealand. Vienna, Austria: EGU General Assembly 2022, 23-27 May 2022.

Sutherland J., Carrivick J., Huss M., Purdie H., Stringer C., Grimes M., James W. and Shulmeister J. (2022) Coincident glacier and lake evolution across New Zealand: Past, present, and future. Vienna, Austria: EGU General Assembly 2022, 23-27 May 2022.

Porhemmat R., Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Kerr T. and Zammit C. (2021) Rain-on-snow in the Southern Alps: hydrometeorology and imapcts. University of Canterbury, Christchurch: The Snow and Ice Research Group Workshop: Understanding Mountain Climate II, 9-13 Feb 2021.

Purdie H., Kerr T., Rack W. and Lorrey A. (2021) Rolleston Glacier: First decade of mass balance measurement and the implications of climate change on mass balance monitoring. University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand: The Snow and ice Research Group Workshop: Understanding Mountain Climate II, 9-13 Feb 2021.

Kerr T., Purdie H. and Rack W. (2020) Ten years of Rolleston Glacier measurements. Matiu/Somes Island, Wellington: Snow and ice Research Group (SIRG) workshop, 3-5 Feb 2020.

Lindsay J., Purdie H. and Rack W. (2020) Processes and feedbacks associated with iceberg calving and subaqueous terminus morphology, Tasman/Haupapa Glacier, New Zealand. Matiu/Somes Island, Wellington: Snow and Ice Research Group (SIRG) workshop, 3-5 Feb 2020.

Purdie H., Bealing P., Gomez C., Anderson B. and Marsh O. (2020) Geomorphological contrast between advance and retreat phases at the terminus of a dynamic maritime glacier: Fox Glacier/Te Moeka o Tūwae, New Zealand. Matiu/Somes Island, Wellington: Snow and Ice Research Group (SIRG) workshop, 3-5 Feb 2020.

Conway J., Anderson B., Dadic R., Cullen N., Zammit C., Kerr T., Mackintosh A. and Purdie H. (2019) Assessing climate change impacts on New Zealand's forzen water resources. Kurow, New Zealand: Snow and Ice research Group (SIRG) New Zealand Annual Workshop, 20-22 Feb 2019.

Lindsay J., Purdie H., Rack W., Bealing P. and Harrison J. (2019) Processes and feedbacks associated with calving and subaqueous terminus morphology, Tasman Glacier, New Zealand. Kurow, New Zealand: Snow and Ice Research Group (SIRG) New Zealand Annual Workshop, 20-22 Feb 2019.

Porhemmat R., Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Zammit C. and Kerr T. (2019) The influence of atmospheric circulation on snowfall in the Southern Alps. Kurow, New Zealand: Snow and Ice Research Group (SIRG) New Zealand Annual Workshop, 20-22 Feb 2019.

Zammit C., Conway J., Anderson B., Cullen N., Dadic R., Kerr T., Mackintosh A., Purdie H., Redpath T. and Sirguey P. (2019) Potential climate change impacts on snow in New Zealand. Kurow, New Zealand: Snow and Ice Research Group (SIRG) New Zealand Annual Workshop, 20-22 Feb 2019.

Dadic R., Anderson B., Conway J., Mackintosh A., Cullen NJ., Horgan H., Kerr T., Purdie HL., Sirguey P. and Zammit C. (2018) A new snow model to assess the impact of climate change on New Zealand's frozen water resources. Methven, Canterbury: New Zealand Snow and Ice Research group Annual Meeting, 7-9 Feb 2018.

Kerr T. and Purdie HL. (2018) Analysis of change of the upper Linda Glacier near the summit of Aoraki/Mount Cook. Methven, Canterbury: New Zealand Snow and Ice Research Group Annual Meeting, 7-9 Feb 2018.

Porhemmat R., Purdie H., Zawar-Reza P., Zammit C. and Kerr T. (2018) Predicting precipitation phase using a temperature based approach in the maritime Southern Alps, New Zealand. Vienna, Austria: European Geophysical Union (EGU) General Assembly 2018, 8-13 Apr 2018.

Porhemmat R., Purdie HL., Zawar-Reza P., Zammit C. and Kerr T. (2018) Predicting precipitation phase in the maritime Southern Alps, New Zealand. Methven, Canterbury: New Zealand Snow and Ice Research Group Annual Meeting, 7-9 Feb 2018.

Hata H., Gomez C., Purdie HL., Tibbotts S. and Narama C. (2017) Rockfall simulation from DSM data generated by SfM from UAV-based imagery: Analysing the rockfall hazards in the touristic Fox Valley. May 20-25, Makuhari Messe, Japan: JpGU-AGU Joint Meeting 2017, 20 May 2017.

Kerr T., Purdie HL. and Rack W. (2017) Rolleston Glacier Mass balance. Wellington, New Zealand: International Symposium on the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, 12-17 Feb 2017.

Purdie HL., Katurji M., Datta, Rajasweta. and Zawar-Reza P. (2017) Characterising patterns of turbulent heat exchange over snow in an alpine ski area with infrared camera. Wellington, New Zealand: International Symposium on the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate, 12-17 Feb 2017.

Reports

Stahl T., Kennedy B., Brogt E., Hampton S., Pedley K., Purdie H. and Thyne J. (2020) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to field class - integrating digital and community mapping in field-based coursework: Final Report..

Stahl T., Purdie H., Thyne J., Hampton S., Pedley K., Brogt E. and Kennedy B. (2019) Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) to field class - integrating digital and community mapping in field-based coursework.Ako Aotearoa. Commissioned by Ako Aotearoa. 14.

Research Groups

Future Research

Influence of crevasses on surface energy balance of glaciers
Impact of glacial retreat to glacier tourism and recreation

Key Methodologies

Direct measurement of glacier mass balance and alpine climates.
Unmanned Aerial Survey (UAV), GNSS, and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys of alpine glaciers.
Geographical Information System (GIS) analysis of glacial environments.