Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019
The volume of glaciers in Iceland (∼3,400 km3 in 2019) corresponds to about 9 mm of potential global sea level rise. In this study, observations from 98.7% of glacier covered areas in Iceland (in 2019) are used to construct a record of mass change of Icelandic glaciers since the end of the 19th cent...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:e57fea7cc40042e38b6e3563e8dda674 2023-05-15T16:21:38+02:00 Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir Eyjólfur Magnússon Finnur Pálsson Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson Joaquín M. C. Belart Tómas Jóhannesson Hrafnhildur Hannesdóttir Oddur Sigurðsson Andri Gunnarsson Bergur Einarsson Etienne Berthier Louise Steffensen Schmidt Hannes H. Haraldsson Helgi Björnsson 2020-11-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.523646 https://doaj.org/article/e57fea7cc40042e38b6e3563e8dda674 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.523646/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.523646 https://doaj.org/article/e57fea7cc40042e38b6e3563e8dda674 Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 8 (2020) mass balance glaciers climate Iceland glacier–climate relationship Science Q article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.523646 2022-12-31T07:50:24Z The volume of glaciers in Iceland (∼3,400 km3 in 2019) corresponds to about 9 mm of potential global sea level rise. In this study, observations from 98.7% of glacier covered areas in Iceland (in 2019) are used to construct a record of mass change of Icelandic glaciers since the end of the 19th century i.e. the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in Iceland. Glaciological (in situ) mass-balance measurements have been conducted on Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull since the glaciological years 1991/92, 1996/97, and 1987/88, respectively. Geodetic mass balance for multiple glaciers and many periods has been estimated from reconstructed surface maps, published maps, aerial photographs, declassified spy satellite images, modern satellite stereo imagery, and airborne lidar. To estimate the maximum glacier volume at the end of the LIA, a volume–area scaling method is used based on the observed area and volume from the three largest ice caps (over 90% of total ice mass) at 5–7 different times each, in total 19 points. The combined record shows a total mass change of −540 ± 130 Gt (−4.2 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 on average) during the study period (1890/91 to 2018/19). This mass loss corresponds to 1.50 ± 0.36 mm sea level equivalent or 16 ± 4% of mass stored in Icelandic glaciers around 1890. Almost half of the total mass change occurred in 1994/95 to 2018/19, or −240 ± 20 Gt (−9.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 on average), with most rapid loss in 1994/95 to 2009/10 (mass change rate −11.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1). During the relatively warm period 1930/31–1949/50, mass loss rates were probably close to those observed since 1994, and in the colder period 1980/81–1993/94, the glaciers gained mass at a rate of 1.5 ± 1.0 Gt a−1. For other periods of this study, the glaciers were either close to equilibrium or experienced mild loss rates. For the periods of AR6 IPCC, the mass change rates are −3.1 ± 1.1 Gt a−1 for 1900/01–1989/90, −4.3 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 for 1970/71–2017/18, −8.3 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 1992/93–2017/18, and −7.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 2005/06–2017/18. Article in Journal/Newspaper glacier Hofsjökull Iceland Langjökull Vatnajökull Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Langjökull ENVELOPE(-20.145,-20.145,64.654,64.654) Vatnajökull ENVELOPE(-16.823,-16.823,64.420,64.420) Frontiers in Earth Science 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
mass balance glaciers climate Iceland glacier–climate relationship Science Q |
spellingShingle |
mass balance glaciers climate Iceland glacier–climate relationship Science Q Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir Eyjólfur Magnússon Finnur Pálsson Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson Joaquín M. C. Belart Tómas Jóhannesson Hrafnhildur Hannesdóttir Oddur Sigurðsson Andri Gunnarsson Bergur Einarsson Etienne Berthier Louise Steffensen Schmidt Hannes H. Haraldsson Helgi Björnsson Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
topic_facet |
mass balance glaciers climate Iceland glacier–climate relationship Science Q |
description |
The volume of glaciers in Iceland (∼3,400 km3 in 2019) corresponds to about 9 mm of potential global sea level rise. In this study, observations from 98.7% of glacier covered areas in Iceland (in 2019) are used to construct a record of mass change of Icelandic glaciers since the end of the 19th century i.e. the end of the Little Ice Age (LIA) in Iceland. Glaciological (in situ) mass-balance measurements have been conducted on Vatnajökull, Langjökull, and Hofsjökull since the glaciological years 1991/92, 1996/97, and 1987/88, respectively. Geodetic mass balance for multiple glaciers and many periods has been estimated from reconstructed surface maps, published maps, aerial photographs, declassified spy satellite images, modern satellite stereo imagery, and airborne lidar. To estimate the maximum glacier volume at the end of the LIA, a volume–area scaling method is used based on the observed area and volume from the three largest ice caps (over 90% of total ice mass) at 5–7 different times each, in total 19 points. The combined record shows a total mass change of −540 ± 130 Gt (−4.2 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 on average) during the study period (1890/91 to 2018/19). This mass loss corresponds to 1.50 ± 0.36 mm sea level equivalent or 16 ± 4% of mass stored in Icelandic glaciers around 1890. Almost half of the total mass change occurred in 1994/95 to 2018/19, or −240 ± 20 Gt (−9.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 on average), with most rapid loss in 1994/95 to 2009/10 (mass change rate −11.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1). During the relatively warm period 1930/31–1949/50, mass loss rates were probably close to those observed since 1994, and in the colder period 1980/81–1993/94, the glaciers gained mass at a rate of 1.5 ± 1.0 Gt a−1. For other periods of this study, the glaciers were either close to equilibrium or experienced mild loss rates. For the periods of AR6 IPCC, the mass change rates are −3.1 ± 1.1 Gt a−1 for 1900/01–1989/90, −4.3 ± 1.0 Gt a−1 for 1970/71–2017/18, −8.3 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 1992/93–2017/18, and −7.6 ± 0.8 Gt a−1 for 2005/06–2017/18. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir Eyjólfur Magnússon Finnur Pálsson Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson Joaquín M. C. Belart Tómas Jóhannesson Hrafnhildur Hannesdóttir Oddur Sigurðsson Andri Gunnarsson Bergur Einarsson Etienne Berthier Louise Steffensen Schmidt Hannes H. Haraldsson Helgi Björnsson |
author_facet |
Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir Eyjólfur Magnússon Finnur Pálsson Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson Joaquín M. C. Belart Tómas Jóhannesson Hrafnhildur Hannesdóttir Oddur Sigurðsson Andri Gunnarsson Bergur Einarsson Etienne Berthier Louise Steffensen Schmidt Hannes H. Haraldsson Helgi Björnsson |
author_sort |
Guðfinna Aðalgeirsdóttir |
title |
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
title_short |
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
title_full |
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
title_fullStr |
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
title_full_unstemmed |
Glacier Changes in Iceland From ∼1890 to 2019 |
title_sort |
glacier changes in iceland from ∼1890 to 2019 |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.523646 https://doaj.org/article/e57fea7cc40042e38b6e3563e8dda674 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-20.145,-20.145,64.654,64.654) ENVELOPE(-16.823,-16.823,64.420,64.420) |
geographic |
Langjökull Vatnajökull |
geographic_facet |
Langjökull Vatnajökull |
genre |
glacier Hofsjökull Iceland Langjökull Vatnajökull |
genre_facet |
glacier Hofsjökull Iceland Langjökull Vatnajökull |
op_source |
Frontiers in Earth Science, Vol 8 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feart.2020.523646/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-6463 2296-6463 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.523646 https://doaj.org/article/e57fea7cc40042e38b6e3563e8dda674 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.523646 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
8 |
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1766009641272082432 |