Part 3—Use GeoMapApp to Conduct a Research Project

Write a Research Paper

Now that you have learned how to use GeoMapApp as well as the techniques necessary to locate the extent of the last glacial maximum, you will write a short research paper to share with your class.

1. Take a few minutes to review the research paper outline below. Consider the data you are now able to access and the maps, graphs and visualizations you know how to produce. Carefully select data that you can use to help you answer the research questions posed in the outline and begin assembling a draft of your paper. You have the option of manually adding annotations, text and symbols to your images or opening the images in programs such as PowerPoint, Paint or Photoshop to add to them.
2. Research papers should include the following elements.
   • Problem statement and rationale for study of Antarctica's glacial history. Problems to consider include:
     • What was the maximum extent of grounded ice during the Last Glacial Maximum?
     • What was the location and direction of paleo-ice stream flow in the Ross Sea during the LGM?
     • What is the relationship between paleo-ice streams and trough location in the Ross Sea?
     • Do paleo-ice streams align with current ice streams in the WAIS?
   • A brief overview of swath multi-beam sonar and sea floor imaging techniques.
   • Student-created map figure of Antarctica including labels showing the current configuration of the Ross Ice Shelf and The WAIS grounding line.
   • Methods section describing tools and data set used.
   • Student-created map figure showing location and direction of pale-ice streams and inferred grounding line at LGM.
   • Strike oriented profile figure showing relationship between bathymetric troughs and megascale glacial lineations on outer shelf.
   • Conclusion and discussion section that presents major findings, limitations and sources of error.
   • Correctly formatted reference section with at least four citations.