Lichenometry in dating recent glacial landforms and deposits, southeast Iceland

• Published in: Boreas
• Main Authors: GORDON, JOHN E., SHARP, MARTIN
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 1983
• Subjects: glacier; Iceland
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1502-3885.1983.tb00312.x; https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1502-3885.1983.tb00312.x; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1502-3885.1983.tb00312.x

Lichenometry curves were derived for the glacier forelands of Breidamerkurjokull and Skalafellsjökull using measurements of the collective species, Rhizocarpon geographicum , from independently dated surfaces deglaciated during the period since the late‐19th century ice maximum episode in the area. The form of the curves appears to be linear. Several methods of predicting the ages of undated surfaces were compared for specific test examples, including single lichenometry curves, families of curves and multiple curves based on randomly selected largest lichens. The last method provided a useful means of assessing the reproducibility of predicted ages. Where substrate conditions were highly variable, a lichenometry curve based on single largest lichens provided a preferred result.