Skaftafellsjökull, Iceland: Glacial geomorphology recording glacier recession since the Little Ice Age

Evans, David J.A.; Ewertowski, Marek; Orton, Chris

Abstract

A 1:5700 scale map of the recently deglaciated foreland of Skaftafellsjökull, Iceland as it appeared in 2007, depicts a typical active temperate glacial landsystem with a clear pattern of sequentially changing push moraine morphologies, including remarkable hairpin-shaped moraines, indicative of spatial and temporal variability in process-form regimes in glacier sub-marginal settings. Similar to other Icelandic glacier forelands, this demonstrates that the piedmont glacier lobes of the region have developed strong longitudinal crevassing and well-developed ice-marginal pecten during their historical recession from the Little Ice Age maximum moraines, likely driven by extending ice flow and poorly drained sub-marginal conditions typical of the uncovering of overdeepenings. Additionally, the localized development of a linear tract of kame and kettle topography is interpreted as the geomorphic and sedimentary signature of thrust stacked and gradually melting debris-rich glacier ice, a feature hitherto unrecognized in the Icelandic active temperate lobe landsystem signature.

Citation

Evans, D. J., Ewertowski, M., & Orton, C. (2017). Skaftafellsjökull, Iceland: Glacial geomorphology recording glacier recession since the Little Ice Age. Journal of Maps, 13(2), 358-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2017.1310676

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 21, 2017
• Online Publication Date: Apr 27, 2017
• Publication Date: Nov 30, 2017
• Deposit Date: Nov 29, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: May 2, 2017
• Journal: Journal of Maps
• Electronic ISSN: 1744-5647
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 13
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 358-368
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17445647.2017.1310676
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1392139