Livingstone, Stephen, Professor

Professor Stephen Livingstone

School of Geography and Planning

Professor in Physical Geography

S.J.Livingstone@91ֱ��.ac.uk
+44 114 222 7965

Room F7, Geography and Planning Building

Full contact details

Professor Stephen Livingstone
School of Geography and Planning
Room F7
Geography and Planning Building
Winter Street
91ֱ��
S3 7ND

Profile

Stephen Livingstone obtained his BSc in Geography from the University of Bristol in 2006, before moving to Durham University where he undertook a PhD titled "Reconstructing ice dynamics in the central sector of the last British-Irish Ice Sheet", which was completed in 2010.

Since then he has held a one-year PDRA position at Durham University, before obtaining a NERC Fellowship and moving to 91ֱ�� in 2011.

In 2013 he was awarded a 91ֱ�� University Vice Chancellor Fellowship, which focuses on the drainage of meltwater at the bed of palaeo-ice sheets.

He was appointed as a Lecturer in Physical Geography at 91ֱ�� in September 2016 and Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography in 2020.

Research interests

I am a glacial geologist and glaciologist whose research interests include reconstructing and understanding ice sheet dynamics and subglacial processes from geological and geophysical evidence in both marine and terrestrial environments.

They can be summarised as follows:

Investigating the drainage and storage of meltwater through palaeo- and contemporary ice sheets.
The identification and investigation of landform-sediment assemblages and physical processes at the bed of palaeo-ice streams, and the controls governing their retreat.
Reconstructing the Late Quaternary history and dynamics of the last British-Irish Ice Sheet.

Current Research

Investigating the drainage and storage of meltwater at the bed of ice sheets

Surface meltwater

On the Greenland Ice Sheet, surface melt-water penetrating to the ice bed dominates the subglacial hydrological system and drives short-term ice-flow variations. My research explores the role of ice surface and bed roughness in controlling the current and future distribution and pattern of surface meltwater drainage, where it can access the bed and its impact on ice dynamics. Surface meltwater is also widespread around the fringes of Antarctica, but whether it reaches the bed and influences ice velocity is currently poorly understood. I am involved in research that uses feature tracking to monitor ice velocity and regional climate models to simulate melt to investigate climatic influences on ice flow.

How do ice sheets drain meltwater at their bed?

I am interested in how ice sheets drain meltwater at their bed. Large volumes of meltwater exist beneath the Earth’s polar ice-sheets. The water lubricates the bed and is a crucial but largely unknown influence on ice-flow and stability. Resolving this issue is essential for producing computer models that can reliably forecast the fate of ice sheets. By identifying and mapping meltwater landform at the ice sheet scale using high resolution topographic models, I aim to produce a detailed characterisation of the form, evolution and drainage of the meltwater system at the base of former ice sheets. This will allow an assessment of the plumbing network and the drainage of meltwater through it, and its effect on ice behaviour and ocean systems.

Subglacial Lakes

Subglacial lakes are bodies of water that lie at the base of an ice sheet between the ice and substrate. They provide habitats for life and can modulate ice flow, basal hydrology, biogeochemical fluxes and geomorphic activity. My research involves both their investigation beneath the modern Greenland Ice Sheet using airborne radar and multi-temporal topographic models and also looking for the geological record of lakes that once existed beneath former ice sheets (e.g. the European and North American palaeo-ice sheets).

The identification and investigation of landform-sediment assemblages and physical processes at the bed of palaeo-ice streams and the controls governing their retreat.

This research focuses on the processes that trigger and controls ice stream grounding-line retreat. This includes using geophysical imagery to map glacial landforms left behind by the former ice streams, and analysis of the sediments deposited, in order to reconstruct the pattern and behaviour of former ice flow and to provide information on the processes that occur at the ice-bed interface. An important component of this research has been to use the geomorphological mapping of glacial landforms to constrain and test numerical ice-sheet models, to try to better understand the controlling factors governing grounding-line retreat.

Reconstructing the Late Quaternary history and dynamics of the last British-Irish Ice Sheet

My PhD research focussed on reconstructing the central sector of the last British-Irish Ice Sheet during the last glacial cycle. This involved glacial landform mapping and sedimentological analysis. Recently I have revisited the area to try and constrain the deglacial history of the four major palaeo-ice streams (Forth, Tweed, Tyne and Stainmore), which drained eastwards across the country, using cosmogenic nuclide and radiocarbon dating techniques.

Although the Geography Department in the University of 91ֱ�� sits on the doorstep of the Peak District, we still do not really know whether this upland region was glaciated during the last glacial cycle. To rectify this, I have led a Departmental initiative to decipher the glacial history of the Peak District. The results of this are being presented in this blog: peakdistrictglaciation.blogspot.co.uk

Publications

Journal articles

Vérité J, Livingstone SJ, Ravier E, McMartin I, Campbell J, Lewington ELM, Dewald N, Clark CD, Sole AJ & Storrar RD (2023) . Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Fan Y, Ke C-Q, Shen X, Xiao Y, Livingstone SJ & Sole AJ (2023) . The Cryosphere, 17(4), 1775-1786.
Rex CL, Bateman MD, Buckland PC, Panagiotakopulu E, Livingstone SJ, Hardiman M & Eddey L (2023) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 299, 107882-107882.
Hornsey J, Rowan AV, Kirkbride MP, Livingstone SJ, Fabel D, Rodes A, Quincey DJ, Hubbard B & Jomelli V (2022) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127(8).
Livingstone SJ (2022) . Nature, 607(7920), 659-660.
Vérité J, Ravier É, Bourgeois O, Bessin P, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Pochat S & Mourgues R (2022) . Geomorphology.
Livingstone SJ, Li Y, Rutishauser A, Sanderson RJ, Winter K, Mikucki JA, Björnsson H, Bowling JS, Chu W, Dow CF , Fricker HA et al (2022) . Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.
Szuman I, Kalita JZ, Ewertowski MW, Clark CD, Livingstone SJ & Kasprzak L (2021) . Earth System Science Data, 13, 4635-4651.
Livingstone SJ, Lewington ELM, Clark CD, Storrar RD, Sole AJ, McMartin I, Dewald N & Ng F (2020) . The Cryosphere, 14(6), 1989-2004.
Tuckett PA, Ely JC, Sole AJ, Livingstone SJ, Davison BJ & van Wessem JM (2020) . Nature Communications, 11(1).
Hepburn AJ, Ng FSL, Livingstone SJ, Holt TO & Hubbard B (2020) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 125(2).
Callard SL, Cofaigh CÓ, Benetti S, Chiverrell RC, Van Landeghem KJJ, Saher MH, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Small D, Fabel D & Moreton SG (2020) . Marine Geology, 420.
Davies B, Livingstone S, Roberts D, Evans D, Gheorghiu D & O'Cofaigh C (2019) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 225.
Livingstone SJ, Sole AJ, Storrar RD, Harrison D, Ross N & Bowling J (2019) . The Cryosphere, 13(10), 2789-2796.
Storrar R, Ewertowski M, Tomczyk A, Barr I, Livingstone S, Ruffell A, Stoker B & Evans D (2019) . Boreas.
Tuckett P, Ely J, Sole A, Livingstone S, Davison B, van Wessem JM & Howard J (2019) . Nature Communications, 10.
Lovell H, Livingstone S, Boston C, Booth A, Storrar R & Barr I (2019) . Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Bowling J, Livingstone S, Sole A & Chu W (2019) . Nature Communications, 10.
Yang K, Smith L, Sole A, Livingstone SJ, Cheng X, Chen Z & Li M (2019) . International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 78, 1-13.
Lewington E, Livingstone S, Sole A, Clark C & Ng F (2019) . Geomorphology.
O Cofaigh C, Weilbach K, loyd JM, Benetti S, Callard SL, Purcell C, Chiverrell RC, Dunlop P, Livingstone SJ, Saher M , Van Landeghem KJJ et al (2019) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 208, 76-96.
Davison BJ, Sole AJ, Livingstone S, Cowton TR & Nienow PW (2019) . Frontiers in Earth Science, 7.
Callard L, Ó Cofaigh C, Benetti S, Chiverrell RC, Van Landeghem KJJ, Saher MH, Gales JA, Small D, Clark C, Livingstone SJ , Fabel D et al (2018) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 201, 280-302.
Ng FSL, Igneczi A, Sole AJ & Livingstone SJ (2018) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 123(10), 2319-2340.
Igneczi A, Sole A, Livingstone S, Ng F & Yang K (2018) . Frontiers in Earth Science Cryospheric sciences, 6.
Chiverrell R, Smedley R, Small D, Ballantyne C, Burke M, Callard L, Clark CD, Duller G, Evans D, Fabel D , van Landeghem K et al (2018) . Journal of Quaternary Science.
Barr I, Dokukin MD, Kougkoulos I, Livingstone SJ, Lovell H, Małecki J & Muraviev AY (2018) . Geosciences, 8(6).
Ross N, Sole AJ, Livingstone SJ, Igneczi A & Morlighem M (2018) . Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 50(1).
Clark CD & Livingstone SJ (2017) . Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Spagnolo M, Bartholomaus TC, Clark CD, Stokes CR, Atkinson N, Dowdeswell JA, Ely J, Graham AGC, Hogan KA, King EC , Larter RD et al (2017) . Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface.
Livingstone SJ, Chu W, Ely JC & Kingslake J (2017) . Geology.
Storrar RD & Livingstone SJ (2017) . Journal of Maps, 13(2), 153-164.
Utting D, Atkinson N, Pawley S & Livingstone SJ (2016) . Journal of Quaternary Science, 31(7), 769-787.
Igneczi A, Sole A, Livingstone SJ, Leeson A, Fettweis X, Selmes N, Gourmelen N & Briggs K (2016) . Geophysical Research Letters, 43(18), 9729-9738.
Swift DA, Livingstone SJ & Clark CD (2016) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 148, 128-145.
Livingstone SJ & Clark CD (2016) . Earth Surface Dynamics, 4, 567-589.
Livingstone SJ, Utting DJ, Ruffell A, clark CD, Pawley S, Atkinson N & Fowler AC (2016) . Nature Communications, 7.
Jamieson SSR, Stokes CR, Livingstone SJ, Vieli A, O'Cofaigh C, Hillenbrand C-D & Spagnolo M (2016) . Journal of Glaciology, 62(232), 285-298.
Livingstone SJ, Stokes CR, Ó Cofaigh C, Hillenbrand CD, Vieli A, Jamieson SSR, Spagnolo M & Dowdeswell JA (2016) . Journal of Glaciology, 62(232), 270-284.
Livingstone SJ, Ó Cofaigh C, Hogan KA & Dowdeswell JA (2016) . Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 46(1), 485-492.
Ó Cofaigh C, Livingstone SJ & Dowdeswell JA (2016) . Geological Society, London, Memoirs, 46(1), 175-176.
Livingstone SJ, Roberts DH, Davies BJ, Evans DJA, O'Cofaigh C & Gheorghiu DM (2015) . Journal of Quaternary Science, 30(8), 790-804.
Livingstone SJ, Storrar RD, Hillier JK, Stokes CR, Clark CD & Tarasov L (2015) . Geomorphology, 246, 104-112.
Stokes CR, Tarasov L, Blomdin R, Cronin TM, Fisher TG, Gyllencreutz R, Hättestrand C, Heyman J, Hindmarsh RCA, Hughes ALC , Jakobsson M et al (2015) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 125, 15-49.
Livingstone SJ, Piotrowski JA, Bateman MD, Ely JC & Clark CD (2015) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 112, 86-108.
Patton H, Swift DA, Clark CD, Livingstone SJ, Cook SJ & Hubbard A (2015) . Geomorphology, 232, 209-223.
Hillier JK, Smith MJ, Armugam R, Barr I, Boston CM, Clark CD, Ely J, Frankl A, Greenwood SL, Gosselin L , Hättestrand C et al (2015) . Journal of Maps, 11(5), 719-729.
O Cofaigh C, Davies BJ, Livingstone SJ, Smith JA, Johnson JS, Hocking EP, Hodgson DA, Anderson JB, Bentley MJ, Canals M , Domack E et al (2014) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 100, 87-110.
Bentley MJ, Ó Cofaigh C, Anderson JB, Conway H, Davies B, Graham AGC, Hillenbrand C-D, Hodgson DA, Jamieson SSR, Larter RD , Mackintosh A et al (2014) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 100, 1-9.
Jamieson SSR, Vieli A, O'Cofaigh C, Stokes CR, Livingstone SJ & Hillenbrand C-D (2014) . Journal of Geophysical Research, 119(2), 247-263.
Livingstone SJ, Ó Cofaigh C, Stokes CR, Vieli A, Jamieson SSR & Hillenbrand C-D (2013) . Journal of Maps.
Livingstone SJ, Clark CD & Tarasov L (2013) . Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 375, 13-33.
Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Piotrowski JA, Tranter M, Bentley MJ, Hodson A, Swift DA & Woodward J (2012) . Quaternary Science Reviews, 53(C), 88-110.
Livingstone SJ, Cofaigh CO, Stokes CR, Hillenbrand C-D, Vieli A & Jamieson SSR (2012) . EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS, 111(1-2), 90-128.
Livingstone SJ, Evans DJA, Cofaigh CO, Davies BJ, Merritt JW, Huddart D, Mitchell WA, Roberts DH & Yorke L (2012) . EARTH-SCIENCE REVIEWS, 111(1-2), 25-55.
Livingstone SJ, Evans DJA & Cofaigh CO (2010) . QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, 29(19-20), 2544-2570.
Livingstone SJ, Ócofaigh C, Evans DJA & Palmer A (2010) . Boreas, 39(3), 505-527.
Livingstone SJ, Cofaigh CO & Evans DJA (2010) . Journal of Quaternary Science, 25(3), 354-370.
Livingstone SJ, Evans DJA, Cofaigh CO & Hopkins J (2010) . PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGISTS ASSOCIATION, 121(4), 423-443.
Evans DJA, Livingstone SJ, Vieli A & Cofaigh CO (2009) . QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS, 28(7-8), 739-757.
Livingstone SJ, Cofaigh CO & Evans DJA (2008) . JOURNAL OF MAPS, 4, 358-377.
Livingstone S () Expansion of supraglacial lake area, volume and extent on the Greenland Ice Sheet from 1985 to 2023. Journal of Glaciology.
Szuman I, Kalita JZ, Diemont CR, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD & Margold M () . The Cryosphere, 18(5), 2407-2428.
Rawlins LD, Rippin DM, Sole AJ, Livingstone SJ & Yang K () . The Cryosphere, 17(11), 4729-4750.
Clark CD, Ely JC, Hindmarsh RCA, Bradley S, Ignéczi A, Fabel D, Ó Cofaigh C, Chiverrell RC, Scourse J, Benetti S , Bradwell T et al () . Boreas.
Stevens D, Ely JC, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Butcher FEG & Hewitt I () . Journal of Glaciology, 1-13.
Dewald N, Livingstone S & Clark C () Subglacial Meltwater Routes of the Fennoscandian Ice Sheet. Journal of Maps.
Eddey LJ, Bateman MD, Livingstone SJ & Lee JR () . Journal of Quaternary Science.
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Livingstone SJ, Sole AJ, Storrar RD, Harrison D, Ross N & Bowling J () .
Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Woodward J & Kingslake J () . The Cryosphere, 7(6), 1721-1740.
Livingstone SJ, Clark CD & Woodward J () . The Cryosphere Discussions, 7(2), 1177-1213.
Lewington E, Livingstone S, Clark C, Sole A & Storrar R () A model for interaction between conduits and surrounding hydraulically connected distributed drainage based on geomorphological evidence from Keewatin, Canada. The Cryosphere.
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Lewington E, Livingstone S, Clark C, Sole A & Storrar R () .
Bowling J, Leeson A, McMillan M, Livingstone S & Sole A () .
Lewington ELM, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD, Sole AJ & Storrar RD () .
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Livingstone SJ & Clark CD () .
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Jamieson SSR, Vieli A, Livingstone SJ, Ó Cofaigh C, Stokes CR, Hillenbrand C-D & Dowdeswell JA () . Nature Geoscience.
O Cofaigh C, Callard SL, Roberts DH, Chiverrell RC, Ballantyne CK, Evans DJA, Saher M, Van Lendeghem KJJ, Smedley R, Bennetti S , Burke M et al () Timing and pace of ice-sheet withdrawal across the marine-terrestrial transition west of Ireland during the last glaciation. Journal of Quaternary Science.
Yu L, Yang K, Lu X, Smith L, Sole A, Livingstone S, Fettweis X & Li M () Diverse supraglacial drainage patterns on the Devon Ice Cap, Canadian Arctic. Journal of Maps.
Szuman I, Kalita JZ, Ewertowski MW, Clark C & Livingstone S () . Boreas.
Tuckett P, Ely J, Sole A, Livingstone S & Lea J () .
Livingstone S, Björnsson H, Bowling J, Chu W, Dow C, Fricker H, Li Y, McMillan M, Mikucki J, Ng F , Ross N et al () .
Rawlins L, Rippin D, Sole A, Livingstone S & Yang K () .
Storrar R, Jones A, Butcher F, Dewald N, Clark C, Delaney C, Evans D, Lewington E, Livingstone S & Stokes C () .
Lea J, Shiggins C, Brough S, Livingstone S & McNabb R () .
Stoker B, Livingstone S, Barr I, Ruffell A, Storrar R & Roberson S () . Proceedings of the Geologists' Association.
Benetti S, Chiverrell RC, Cofaigh CÓ, Burke M, Medialdea A, Small D, Ballantyne C, Bateman MD, Callard SL, Wilson P , Fabel D et al () . Journal of Quaternary Science.
Tuckett PA, Ely JC, Sole AJ, Lea JM, Livingstone SJ, Jones JM & van Wessem JM () .
Bowling J, Leeson A, McMillan M, Livingstone S, Sole A, Nienow P, Noël B, Broeke MVD, Slater T, Sörensen LS , Simonsen S et al () .
Dewald N, Lewington E, Livingstone S, Clark C & Storrar R () Distribution, Characteristics and Formation of Esker Enlargements. Geomorphology.
Livingstone S, Li Y, Rutishauser A, Sanderson R, Winter K, Mikucki J, Björnsson H, Bowling J, Chu W, Dow C , Fricker H et al () . Nature Reviews Earth & Environment.
Tuckett PA, Ely JC, Sole AJ, Lea JM, Livingstone SJ, Jones JM & van Wessem JM () . The Cryosphere, 15(12), 5785-5804.

Conference proceedings papers

Livingstone S, Lewington ELM, Clark CD, Storrar RD, Sole AJ, McMartin I, Dewald N, Ng F, Vérité J & Ravier E (2021) . Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs

Software / Code

Lewington E, Livingstone S, Sole A, Ng F & Clark C .

Datasets

Livingstone S, Lewington E, Clark C, Storrar R, Sole A, Mcmartin I, Dewald N & Ng F .
Tuckett P, Ely J, Sole A, Livingstone S, davison B, Wessem JMV & howard J .

Other

Gimbert F, Ross N, Le Bris T, Barruol G, Young TJ, Doyle S, Livingstone S, Sole A, Gilbert A, Ing R , Bagshaw L et al (2024) .
Peacey M, Livingstone S, Doyle S, Sole A, Storrar R, Edwards L, Bagshaw E, Chudley T, Ross N, Buzzard S , Booth A et al (2024) .
Doyle S, Livingstone S, Sole A, Storrar R, Young TJ, Ing R, Ross N, Bagshaw L, Clason C, Edwards L , Prior-Jones M et al (2024) .
Szuman I, Kalita JZ, Diemont CR, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD & Margold M (2023) .
Rawlins LD, Rippin DM, Sole AJ, Livingstone SJ & Yang K (2023) .
Tuckett P, Ely J, Sole A, Livingstone S, Lea J & Jones J () .
Stevens D, Ely J, Livingstone S, Clark C, Butcher F & Hewitt I () .
Sole A, Davison B & Livingstone S () .
Rawlins L, Rippin D, Sole A, Livingstone S & Yang K () .
Diemont CR, Clark CD, Livingstone SJ & Hughes ALC () .
Fan Y, Ke C-Q, Shen X, Xiao Y, Livingstone SJ & Sole AJ () .

Preprints

Szuman I, Kalita JZ, Diemont CR, Livingstone SJ, Clark CD & Margold M (2023) , Copernicus GmbH.
Rawlins LD, Rippin DM, Sole AJ, Livingstone SJ & Yang K (2023) , Copernicus GmbH.
Tuckett P, Ely J, Sole A, Livingstone S, Jones J, Lea J & Gilbert E (2022) , Research Square Platform LLC.
Tuckett PA, Ely JC, Sole AJ, Lea JM, Livingstone SJ, Jones JM & van Wessem JM () .
Fan Y, Ke C-Q, Shen X, Xiao Y, Livingstone SJ & Sole AJ () , Copernicus GmbH.

Grants: 2011-2014: Predicting and investigating subglacial lakes beneath the former European and North American ice sheets. (£261,457.39 from NERC – Natural Environmental Research Council)

Teaching activities

Stephen teaches on a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses including:

GEO6669 Polar and Alpine Change Research Project
GEO3002 Specialised Topic – Advanced Geospatial Analysis
GEO388 Advances in Cryosphere Science
GEO356 Geographical Research Project
GEO3007 Lake District Field Class
GEO262 Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems