Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier
Virkisjökull is a rapidly retreating outlet glacier draining the western flanks of Öræfajökull in SE Iceland. Since 2011 there have been continuous measurements of flow in the proglacial meltwater channel and regular campaigns to sample stable isotopes δ2H and δ18O from the river, ice, moraine sprin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2016-07-01
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| Series: | Annals of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000227/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811157271196991488 |
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| author | A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black B. É. Ó Dochartaigh J. Everest W. G. Darling V. Flett D. W. Peach |
| author_facet | A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black B. É. Ó Dochartaigh J. Everest W. G. Darling V. Flett D. W. Peach |
| author_sort | A. M. MacDonald |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Virkisjökull is a rapidly retreating outlet glacier draining the western flanks of Öræfajökull in SE Iceland. Since 2011 there have been continuous measurements of flow in the proglacial meltwater channel and regular campaigns to sample stable isotopes δ2H and δ18O from the river, ice, moraine springs and groundwater. The stable isotopes provide reliable end members for glacial ice and shallow groundwater. Analysis of data from 2011 to 2014 indicates that although ice and snowmelt dominate summer riverflow (mean 5.3–7.9 m3 s−1), significant flow is also observed in winter (mean 1.6–2.4 m3 s−1) due primarily to ongoing glacier icemelt. The stable isotope data demonstrate that the influence of groundwater discharge from moraines and the sandur aquifer increases during winter and forms a small (15–20%) consistent source of baseflow to the river. The similarity of hydrological response across seasons reflects a highly efficient glacial drainage system, which makes use of a series of permanent englacial channels within active and buried ice throughout the year. The study has shown that the development of an efficient year round drainage network within the lower part of the glacier has been coincident with the stagnation and subsequent rapid retreat of the glacier. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1f77f30922074aeaabb9cda9781da467 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0260-3055 1727-5644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T05:04:27Z |
| publishDate | 2016-07-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Annals of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-1f77f30922074aeaabb9cda9781da4672023-03-09T12:27:29ZengCambridge University PressAnnals of Glaciology0260-30551727-56442016-07-015715115810.1017/aog.2016.22Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacierA. M. MacDonald0A. R. Black1B. É. Ó Dochartaigh2J. Everest3W. G. Darling4V. Flett5D. W. Peach6British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK E-mail:Geography, School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, UKBritish Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK E-mail:British Geological Survey, Lyell Centre, Research Avenue South, Riccarton, Edinburgh, EH14 4AS, UK E-mail:British Geological Survey, MacLean Building, Crowmarsh Gifford, Wallingford Oxfordshire, OX10 8BB, UKGeography, School of Social Sciences, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4HN, UKBritish Geological Survey, Environmental Science Centre, Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG, UKVirkisjökull is a rapidly retreating outlet glacier draining the western flanks of Öræfajökull in SE Iceland. Since 2011 there have been continuous measurements of flow in the proglacial meltwater channel and regular campaigns to sample stable isotopes δ2H and δ18O from the river, ice, moraine springs and groundwater. The stable isotopes provide reliable end members for glacial ice and shallow groundwater. Analysis of data from 2011 to 2014 indicates that although ice and snowmelt dominate summer riverflow (mean 5.3–7.9 m3 s−1), significant flow is also observed in winter (mean 1.6–2.4 m3 s−1) due primarily to ongoing glacier icemelt. The stable isotope data demonstrate that the influence of groundwater discharge from moraines and the sandur aquifer increases during winter and forms a small (15–20%) consistent source of baseflow to the river. The similarity of hydrological response across seasons reflects a highly efficient glacial drainage system, which makes use of a series of permanent englacial channels within active and buried ice throughout the year. The study has shown that the development of an efficient year round drainage network within the lower part of the glacier has been coincident with the stagnation and subsequent rapid retreat of the glacier.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000227/type/journal_articleclimate changeglacier hydrochemistryglacier hydrologyglacier monitoringmeltwater chemistry |
| spellingShingle | A. M. MacDonald A. R. Black B. É. Ó Dochartaigh J. Everest W. G. Darling V. Flett D. W. Peach Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier Annals of Glaciology climate change glacier hydrochemistry glacier hydrology glacier monitoring meltwater chemistry |
| title | Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier |
| title_full | Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier |
| title_fullStr | Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier |
| title_short | Using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating Icelandic outlet glacier |
| title_sort | using stable isotopes and continuous meltwater river monitoring to investigate the hydrology of a rapidly retreating icelandic outlet glacier |
| topic | climate change glacier hydrochemistry glacier hydrology glacier monitoring meltwater chemistry |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0260305516000227/type/journal_article |
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