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Research interests: Quaternary geology and geomorphology, geochronology, paleoclimatology; glacier and sea-level fluctuations, digital terrain analysis, geologic hazards. My current research involves (i) the landscape development and evolution in western Canada, and (ii) paleo-ice sheet reconstructions and dynamics from geomorphologic and geologic data. (i) The landscape in western Canada is in transition between glacial and fluvial processes. To improve our understanding of the fundamental controls (fluvial, glacial, and tectonic processes) on the development of the topography, we are comparing indices of exhumation and geomorphic and climatic data with digital topographic analysis in western Canada. Regional trends in hypsometry (frequency distribution of altitude), cross-range asymmetry, and slope distributions of the various terrains and physiographic regions are being investigated. These regions are several thousand square kilometers consisting of deeply incised mountains and plateaus where boundaries occur along major faults or structural trends. An erosion index is also being developed to improve our understanding of erosion and large-scale climatic patterns. In considering the importance of glaciation on the landscape development we are exploring the regional trend and changes of the equilibrium line altitude (ELA). Changes in the ELA affect the size of the glacial accumulation area and has a direct function on landscape hypsometry. (ii) My major research interest is reconstruction of paleoglacial events from glacial landforms in the Cordilleran Ice Sheet area. Focus has been on the North Cascades Range, Late Wisconsinan deglaciation in the Fraser Lowland, and also the evolution of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet in the Okanogan region. My work involves interpretation of glacial landforms and landform system using aerial photographs, GIS analysis, and satellite images. Field studies also plays an important role in regional scale reconstructions and we have concentrated on obtaining approximate ages (relative ages by geomorphology) and absolute ages by radiocarbon dating and cosmogenic isotopes of different landforms and landscapes. Check back from time to time. I will post provisional results from our current research here.
[Image Gallery/Reconstructions] Last Update: April 2004 D. Kovanen
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