Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland
Non-surface mass balance is non-negligible for glaciers in Iceland. Several Icelandic glaciers are in the neo-volcanic zone where a combination of geothermal activity, volcanic eruptions and geothermal heat flux much higher than the global average lead to basal melting close to 150 mm w.e. a−1 for t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Journal of Glaciology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000374/type/journal_article |
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| author | Tómas Jóhannesson Bolli Pálmason Árni Hjartarson Alexander H. Jarosch Eyjólfur Magnússon Joaquín M. C. Belart Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson |
| author_facet | Tómas Jóhannesson Bolli Pálmason Árni Hjartarson Alexander H. Jarosch Eyjólfur Magnússon Joaquín M. C. Belart Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson |
| author_sort | Tómas Jóhannesson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Non-surface mass balance is non-negligible for glaciers in Iceland. Several Icelandic glaciers are in the neo-volcanic zone where a combination of geothermal activity, volcanic eruptions and geothermal heat flux much higher than the global average lead to basal melting close to 150 mm w.e. a−1 for the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap and 75 mm w.e. a−1 for the largest ice cap, Vatnajökull. Energy dissipation in the flow of water and ice is also rather large for the high-precipitation, temperate glaciers of Iceland resulting in internal and basal melting of 20–150 mm w.e. a−1. The total non-surface melting of glaciers in Iceland in 1995–2019 was 45–375 mm w.e. a−1 on average for the main ice caps, and was largest for Mýrdalsjökull, the south side of Vatnajökull and Eyjafjallajökull. Geothermal melting, volcanic eruptions and the energy dissipation in the flow of water and ice, as well as calving, all contribute, and thus these components should be considered in mass-balance studies. For comparison, the average mass balance of glaciers in Iceland since 1995 is −500 to −1500 mm w.e. a−1. The non-surface mass balance corresponds to a total runoff contribution of 2.1 km3 a−1 of water from Iceland. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:40:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3aacb792490746a2a0b4f54cfc26cf4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 0022-1430 1727-5652 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:40:31Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Glaciology |
| spelling | doaj.art-3aacb792490746a2a0b4f54cfc26cf4c2023-03-09T12:40:57ZengCambridge University PressJournal of Glaciology0022-14301727-56522020-08-016668569710.1017/jog.2020.37Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in IcelandTómas Jóhannesson0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7274-8593Bolli Pálmason1Árni Hjartarson2Alexander H. Jarosch3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2646-4527Eyjólfur Magnússon4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9816-0787Joaquín M. C. Belart5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0853-8935Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson6https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5325-3368Icelandic Meteorological Office, Bústaðavegur 7–9, Reykjavík, IcelandIcelandic Meteorological Office, Bústaðavegur 7–9, Reykjavík, IcelandIceland GeoSurvey (ÍSOR), Grensásvegur 9, Reykjavík, IcelandThetaFrame Solutions, Hörfarterstrasse 14, Kufstein, AustriaNordvulk, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, Reykjavík, IcelandNordvulk, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, Reykjavík, IcelandNordvulk, Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, Reykjavík, IcelandNon-surface mass balance is non-negligible for glaciers in Iceland. Several Icelandic glaciers are in the neo-volcanic zone where a combination of geothermal activity, volcanic eruptions and geothermal heat flux much higher than the global average lead to basal melting close to 150 mm w.e. a−1 for the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap and 75 mm w.e. a−1 for the largest ice cap, Vatnajökull. Energy dissipation in the flow of water and ice is also rather large for the high-precipitation, temperate glaciers of Iceland resulting in internal and basal melting of 20–150 mm w.e. a−1. The total non-surface melting of glaciers in Iceland in 1995–2019 was 45–375 mm w.e. a−1 on average for the main ice caps, and was largest for Mýrdalsjökull, the south side of Vatnajökull and Eyjafjallajökull. Geothermal melting, volcanic eruptions and the energy dissipation in the flow of water and ice, as well as calving, all contribute, and thus these components should be considered in mass-balance studies. For comparison, the average mass balance of glaciers in Iceland since 1995 is −500 to −1500 mm w.e. a−1. The non-surface mass balance corresponds to a total runoff contribution of 2.1 km3 a−1 of water from Iceland.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000374/type/journal_articleGlacier mass balancesubglacial processesmelt – basal |
| spellingShingle | Tómas Jóhannesson Bolli Pálmason Árni Hjartarson Alexander H. Jarosch Eyjólfur Magnússon Joaquín M. C. Belart Magnús Tumi Gudmundsson Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland Journal of Glaciology Glacier mass balance subglacial processes melt – basal |
| title | Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland |
| title_full | Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland |
| title_fullStr | Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland |
| title_full_unstemmed | Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland |
| title_short | Non-surface mass balance of glaciers in Iceland |
| title_sort | non surface mass balance of glaciers in iceland |
| topic | Glacier mass balance subglacial processes melt – basal |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0022143020000374/type/journal_article |
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