Glacier Fluctuations, Iceland

Glacier Fluctuations, Iceland

1. Significane

   • Locally
     • Complex socio-ecological system
     • local signals CC
     • resons for decoupling fluctuations identified
     • hydropower
   • Internationally
     • strategic location
       • N.Atlantic
         • oceanic/atmos polar fronts
     • defintion of LIA
     • understand regional glacier dynamics
     • visualisation of CC

2. Role of CC in Societal Change

   • effect environment
     • adaptation
   • LIA
     • extreme variable climate
       • hot and cold
     • social/political/economic turmoil
     • human interactions with climate and environment
     • 14th - 19thC
   • Norse - Greenland
     • Dugmore et al (2012)
     • 13thC adaptation to CC
       • dependent on seals
     • 15thC died out - couldn't adapt
     • short term adapt doesn't means long term success

3. Importance of Glacier Fluctuations

   • understand past climate
     • respond to climatic changes
     • record of climate
   • used to predict future
   • understand societal affects
   • gain empirical data to constrain models
   • big image of change
   • Public involvement
     • Extreme Ice Survey (EIS)
       • innovative photgraphy
         • shape public perception
     • Icelandic Glaciological Society
       • past
         • public involvement
           • understod
           • interested
       • present
         • complex modelling
         • international audience
           • disconnected from public
     • democracy <> deficit
       • if science local and small scale = connect with people

4. Dating flucatuations

   • Tephrchronology
     • tephra layers in soil stratigraphy
       • no ash = limitation
         • Kirkbride and Dugmore (2008)
     • precise dates
   • Lichenometric dating
     • size indicates exposure date
   • combine methods

5. Glacier Fluctuation Examples

   • Solheimajokull
     • LIA not max.
       • anomalous to other neighbouring glaciers
     • long, complex history
     • Ice divide migration
       • migrate during ice cap growth
         • Some fluctuations DECOUPLED from CC - need caution
     • Dugmore + Sugden (1991)
   • Gigjokull
     • advance (1947-54) when other retreating
     • Hekla eruption 1947
       • large tephra fallout = inhibited ablation
     • Kirkbride and Dugmore (2003)

6. Vulnerabilities

   • adaptation can create future vulnerabilites
     • Norse
   • human/social institutions create pre-existing vulberabilities
     • magnitude of disaster of CC influence by vulnerability
   • interface between environmental conditions
     • big social impacts
   • Nelson et al (2016)