Sridhar Anandakrishnan

Prof. Sridhar Anandakrishnan (Department of Geoscience, and Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, Pennsylvania State University) is a distinguished glaciologist and cryo-seismologist. His development of innovative seismological instrumentation and techniques has enabled groundbreaking discoveries about the dynamics of ice sheets and glaciers.

Prof Anandakrishnan’s research has focussed on the use of passive and active-source seismology to study ice-stream flow and ice-sheet basal processes. His work has contributed fundamentally to a deep understanding of Earth’s largest, and most climatically vulnerable, ice masses. Career highlights include demonstrating the sensitivity of Antarctic ice streams to tidal perturbations by measuring the tidal modulation of basal earthquakes and the motion of non-floating ice almost 100 km inland. He also used active-source seismic experiments to reveal the correlation of fast streaming flow with large sedimentary basins near West Antarctic ice streams as well as revealing how the physical properties of these sediments influence flow speed.

One of Prof Anandakrishnan’s most lasting legacies in the glaciological community is the development and refinement of cryo-seismic technologies. Early achievements include the development of a fibre-optic passive seismic array, which was the first to demonstrate that natural seismic activity at the bed of ice sheets is associated with their motion. He developed the integrated system necessary for the first winter-over GPS and seismic network in Antarctica, and the innovative “Georod”, whose design improves the detected seismic signal by a factor of four over conventional sensors. Prof Anandakrishnan pioneered the use of portable, stand-alone seismic stations in glaciology, leading to the creation of the “Geopebble,” a lightweight, low-power instrument which has facilitated numerous studies.

In addition to his technical innovations, Prof. Anandakrishnan has made significant theoretical contributions. He developed new approaches to determining seismic source signatures and ice attenuation factors, addressing long-standing uncertainties in the field. His pioneering work has laid the foundation for much of the current research in cryo-seismology.

Beyond his research, Prof Anandakrishnan has been an inspiring educator and mentor for students and post-docs who have grown and thrived under his supervision.  His work has fundamentally advanced our understanding of ice sheet physics and continues to inspire future generations of scientists.

On behalf of the Awards Committee of the International Glaciological Society
Sue Cooke, Chair.