Staff profile

• 2025 – present: Royal Society University Research Fellow, Durham University, UK
• 2023 – 2025: Assistant Professor (Research), Durham University, UK
• 2017 – 2023: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Durham University, UK
• 2011 – 2014: PhD Geophysics, Newcastle University, UK
• 2007 – 2008: MSc Engineering Geology, Newcastle University, UK
• 2002 – 2005: BSc (Hons) Geology and Geophysics, Durham University, UK

Research Overview

My research focuses on modelling glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) – the ongoing viscoelastic response of the solid Earth to changes in the weight of the ice sheets – with the goal of understanding more about the underlying Earth structure and rheology. I am particularly interested in the Earth’s deformational response to short-term ice-mass changes, which can be observed using geodetic measurements like GPS. GPS observations can be used to constrain model output and therefore help us learn about the underlying Earth.

My previous work has shown that in the Antarctic Peninsula, viscoelastic deformation occurs on a much shorter timescale than previously thought, due to the low viscosity mantle in this region. Because the mantle has low viscosity, it flows more quickly in response to changes in ice loading such as large anomalies in snowfall (monthly timescales), ice loss following ice shelf break up (decadal timescales), and ice accumulation (centennial timescales).

I have also worked on an Australian Research Council (ARC) funded project to build a model of postseismic deformation for Antarctica, that is, to simulate the viscoelastic relaxation of the upper mantle following a large earthquake. This signal has been observed in GPS time series in East Antarctica and the northern Antarctic Peninsula.

My current research aims to constrain the Earth’s rheology by modelling both GIA and postseismic deformation together in a region where these processes overlap in time and space - Patagonia. Understanding how the Earth deforms across multiple timescales under different stresses will improve our knowledge of time-dependent rheology. This will have direct implications for West Antarctica where it is important to capture time-varying Earth deformation in response to past and present-day ice loss, a correction that is needed for satellite gravimetry to provide more accurate estimates of the West Antarctica Ice Sheet’s contribution to sea-level rise.

• Glacial isostatic adjustment
• Postseismic deformation
• Rheology
• Antarctica

Journal Article

• Surface Mass Balance Variability Causes Viscoelastic Solid Earth Deformation in the Antarctic Peninsula
  
  Nield, G. A., Bentley, M. J., Koulali, A., Clarke, P. J., King, M. A., Wilson, T., & Whitehouse, P. L. (2025). Surface Mass Balance Variability Causes Viscoelastic Solid Earth Deformation in the Antarctic Peninsula. Geophysical Research Letters, 52(12), Article e2025GL114595. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025gl114595
• Resolving the paradox of conflicting glacial chronologies: Reconstructing the pattern of deglaciation of the Magellan cordilleran ice dome (53–54°S) during the last glacial – interglacial transition
  
  McCulloch, R. D., Bentley, M. J., Fabel, D., Fernández-Navarro, H., García, J., Hein, A. S., Huynh, C., Jamieson, S. S., Lira, M., Lüthgens, C., Nield, G. A., San Román, M., & Tisdall, E. W. (2024). Resolving the paradox of conflicting glacial chronologies: Reconstructing the pattern of deglaciation of the Magellan cordilleran ice dome (53–54°S) during the last glacial – interglacial transition. Quaternary Science Reviews, 344, Article 108866. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.108866
• Postseismic Deformation in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Following the 2003 and 2013 Scotia Sea Earthquakes
  
  Nield, G. A., King, M. A., Koulali, A., & Samrat, N. (2023). Postseismic Deformation in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula Following the 2003 and 2013 Scotia Sea Earthquakes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128(10), e2023JB026685. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023jb026685
• Glacial isostatic adjustment and postseismic deformation in Antarctica
  
  van der Wal, W., Barletta, V., Nield, G., & van Calcar, C. (2023). Glacial isostatic adjustment and postseismic deformation in Antarctica. Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 56(1). https://doi.org/10.1144/m56-2022-13
• A global, spherical finite-element model for post-seismic deformation using Abaqus
  
  Nield, G. A., King, M. A., Steffen, R., & Blank, B. (2022). A global, spherical finite-element model for post-seismic deformation using Abaqus. Geoscientific Model Development, 15(6), 2489-2503. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-2489-2022
• GPS-observed elastic deformation due to surface mass balance variability in the Southern Antarctic Peninsula
  
  Koulali, A., Whitehouse, P., Clarke, P., van den Broeke, M., Nield, G., King, M., Bentley, M., Wouters, B., & Wilson, T. (2022). GPS-observed elastic deformation due to surface mass balance variability in the Southern Antarctic Peninsula. Geophysical Research Letters, 49(4), Article e2021GL097109. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021gl097109
• Mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2018
  
  Team, T. I., Nield, G., & Whitehouse, P. (2020). Mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1992 to 2018. Nature, 579, 233-239. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-1855-2
• A new open-source viscoelastic solid earth deformation module implemented in Elmer (v8.4)
  
  Zwinger, T., Nield, G. A., Ruokolainen, J., & King, M. A. (2020). A new open-source viscoelastic solid earth deformation module implemented in Elmer (v8.4). Geoscientific Model Development, 13(3), 1155-1164. https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-13-1155-2020
• Mapping crustal shear wave velocity structure and radial anisotropy beneath West Antarctica using seismic ambient noise
  
  O’Donnell, J., Brisbourne, A., Stuart, G., Dunham, C., Yang, Y., Nield, G., Whitehouse, P., Nyblade, A., Wiens, D., Anandakrishnan, S., Aster, R., Huerta, A., Lloyd, A., Wilson, T., & Winberry, J. (2019). Mapping crustal shear wave velocity structure and radial anisotropy beneath West Antarctica using seismic ambient noise. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 20(11), 5014-5037. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gc008459
• The uppermost mantle seismic velocity structure of West Antarctica from Rayleigh wave tomography: insights into tectonic structure and geothermal heat flow
  
  O’Donnell, J., Stuart, G., Brisbourne, A., Selway, K., Yang, Y., Nield, G., Whitehouse, P., Nyblade, A., Wiens, D., Aster, R., Anandakrishnan, S., Huerta, A., Wilson, T., & Winberry, J. (2019). The uppermost mantle seismic velocity structure of West Antarctica from Rayleigh wave tomography: insights into tectonic structure and geothermal heat flow. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 522, 219-233. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.06.024
• Late Holocene relative sea levels near Palmer Station, northern Antarctic Peninsula, strongly controlled by late Holocene ice-mass changes
  
  Simms, A., Whitehouse, P., Simkins, L., Nield, G., DeWitt, R., & Bentley, M. (2018). Late Holocene relative sea levels near Palmer Station, northern Antarctic Peninsula, strongly controlled by late Holocene ice-mass changes. Quaternary Science Reviews, 199, 49-59. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2018.09.017
• The impact of lateral variations in lithospheric thickness on glacial isostatic adjustment in West Antarctica
  
  Nield, G., Whitehouse, P., van der Wal, W., Blank, B., O’Donnell, J., & Stuart, G. (2018). The impact of lateral variations in lithospheric thickness on glacial isostatic adjustment in West Antarctica. Geophysical Journal International, 214(2), 811-824. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggy158
• Mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet from 1992 to 2017
  
  Shepherd, A., Ivins, E., Rignot, E., Smith, B., van den Broeke, M., Velicogna, I., Whitehouse, P., Briggs, K., Joughin, I., Krinner, G., Nowicki, S., Payne, T., Scambos, T., Schlegel, N., Geruo, A., Agosta, C., Ahlstrøm, A., Babonis, G., Barletta, V., … Wouters, B. (2018). Mass balance of the Antarctic ice sheet from 1992 to 2017. Nature, 558(7709), 219-222. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-018-0179-y
• Glacial Isostatic Adjustment in response to changing Late Holocene behaviour of ice streams on the Siple Coast, West Antarctica
  
  Nield, G., Whitehouse, P., King, M., & Clarke, P. (2016). Glacial Isostatic Adjustment in response to changing Late Holocene behaviour of ice streams on the Siple Coast, West Antarctica. Geophysical Journal International, 205(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggv532
• Uplift rates from a new high-density GPS network in Palmer Land indicate significant late Holocene ice loss in the southwestern Weddell Sea
  
  Wolstencroft, M., King, M., Whitehouse, P., Bentley, M., Nield, G., King, E., McMillan, M., Shepherd, A., Barletta, V., Bordoni, A., Riva, R., Didova, O., & Gunter, B. (2015). Uplift rates from a new high-density GPS network in Palmer Land indicate significant late Holocene ice loss in the southwestern Weddell Sea. Geophysical Journal International, 203(1), 737-754. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggv327
• Rapid bedrock uplift in the Antarctic Peninsula explained by viscoelastic response to recent ice unloading
  
  Nield, G., Barletta, V., Bordoni, A., King, M., Whitehouse, P., Clarke, P., Domack, E., Scambos, T., & Berthier, E. (2014). Rapid bedrock uplift in the Antarctic Peninsula explained by viscoelastic response to recent ice unloading. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 397, 32-41. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2014.04.019
• Increased ice loading in the Antarctic Peninsula since the 1850s and its effect on glacial isostatic adjustment.
  
  Nield, G., Whitehouse, P., King, M., Clarke, P., & Bentley, M. (2012). Increased ice loading in the Antarctic Peninsula since the 1850s and its effect on glacial isostatic adjustment. Geophysical Research Letters, 39(17), Article L17504. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012gl052559