Landsystems of Morsárjökull, Skaftafellsjökull and Svínafellsjökull, outlet glaciers of the Vatnajökull Ice Cap, Iceland

• Published in: Boreas
• Main Authors: Lee, Rebecca E., Maclachlan, John C., Eyles, Carolyn H.
• Other Authors: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Science and Engineering Research Board
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2018
• Subjects: Morsárjökull; Skaftafellsjökull; Svínafellsjökull; Vatnajökull; glacier; Ice cap; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/bor.12333; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fbor.12333; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/bor.12333

This study utilizes a landsystem approach to analyse the landforms and sediments exposed on the forefields of three closely spaced outlet glaciers of the Vatnajökull Ice Cap, southeast Iceland; Morsárjökull, Skaftafellsjökull and Svínafellsjökull, in order to determine how individual glacier and environmental characteristics influence landscape development. Analysis of satellite imagery and fieldwork were used in conjunction to examine the geomorphology and sedimentology of the forefields, and to define the characteristic landsystems of each of the glaciers. Morsárjökull and Skaftafellsjökull have similar proglacial fields, with similarities in the distribution and scale of the landforms, and their characteristics conform to the established active temperate landsystem. Svínafellsjökull differs significantly from the other glaciers having a proglacial field that more closely resembles an early stage debris‐charged landsystem. Variations between the glaciers in terms of their ice distribution (hypsometry, equilibrium line altitude), bedrock type, topography and debris content are important factors that contribute to the landsystem variability evident in their proglacial fields. The forefields of these three glaciers may be used as analogues to enhance understanding of palaeoenvironmental conditions that existed along the southern margin of Pleistocene glaciers that covered much of northern North America and Europe in the past.