Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland
A detailed comparative geochemical characterization of three different types of Iceland glacial systems was conducted during June, August, and October, 2016. The study was carried out at a total of 11 outlet glacier rivers flowing from the icecaps Vatnajökull, Eyjafjallajökull, and Mýrdalsjökull. A...
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ftwesternkent:oai:digitalcommons.wku.edu:theses-2963 2023-05-15T16:09:32+02:00 Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland Tuladhar, Anisha 2017-04-01T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1960 https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2963&context=theses unknown TopSCHOLAR® https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1960 https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2963&context=theses Masters Theses & Specialist Projects Volcanic influences variability glacial rivers icecaps Geology Geophysics and Seismology Glaciology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology text 2017 ftwesternkent 2022-12-11T12:21:56Z A detailed comparative geochemical characterization of three different types of Iceland glacial systems was conducted during June, August, and October, 2016. The study was carried out at a total of 11 outlet glacier rivers flowing from the icecaps Vatnajökull, Eyjafjallajökull, and Mýrdalsjökull. A total of 75 grab samples were collected (25 for each sampling period). The hydrogeochemical variations of Icelandic glacial meltwater are influenced by volcanic activity, temporal changes, and geographical location, which differed between the sampling sites within the glaciers and icecaps. Lower pH range, and comparatively higher and variable specific conductivity, SO4, S and F is linked to higher volcanic influences, including residuals from the 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajökull (located above a tectonic plate boundary zone). High concentrations of Al and Fe were found at Kötlujökull and Kvíárjökull, both of which are close to active volcanic zones. Changes in hydrogeochemistry of the meltwater caused by volcanic activity may be used to forecast eruptions and jökulhlaups; however, given the variability of Icelandic meltwater chemistry, high-resolution monitoring should be done in order to determine a precursor threshold for an volcanic event, as the chemical composition of one jökulhlaup could be within normal range for a different glacier. TSS concentrations depicted high spatial and temporal variation as the highest and lowest values of TSS drained from the same glacier. Hydrogeochemical weathering is driven by Na-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3 dissolution. Concentrations of ions varied with respect to their geographic location, as specific conductivity increase distance downstream from glaciers, proglacial lagoons, and river reaches. Ca, Mg, K, Na, and HCO3 increased from 1984 to 2016 for Fjallsjökull, which may be from an increased weathering rate, due to temperature, CO2 increase, and increased erosion beneath glaciers under a changing climate. This study of hydrogeochemical variation in Icelandic glaciers complements the ... Text Eyjafjallajökull glacier Iceland Mýrdalsjökull Vatnajökull Western Kentucky University (WKU): TopScholar Mýrdalsjökull ENVELOPE(-19.174,-19.174,63.643,63.643) Vatnajökull ENVELOPE(-16.823,-16.823,64.420,64.420) |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Western Kentucky University (WKU): TopScholar |
op_collection_id |
ftwesternkent |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Volcanic influences variability glacial rivers icecaps Geology Geophysics and Seismology Glaciology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology |
spellingShingle |
Volcanic influences variability glacial rivers icecaps Geology Geophysics and Seismology Glaciology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Tuladhar, Anisha Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
topic_facet |
Volcanic influences variability glacial rivers icecaps Geology Geophysics and Seismology Glaciology Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology Other Oceanography and Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology |
description |
A detailed comparative geochemical characterization of three different types of Iceland glacial systems was conducted during June, August, and October, 2016. The study was carried out at a total of 11 outlet glacier rivers flowing from the icecaps Vatnajökull, Eyjafjallajökull, and Mýrdalsjökull. A total of 75 grab samples were collected (25 for each sampling period). The hydrogeochemical variations of Icelandic glacial meltwater are influenced by volcanic activity, temporal changes, and geographical location, which differed between the sampling sites within the glaciers and icecaps. Lower pH range, and comparatively higher and variable specific conductivity, SO4, S and F is linked to higher volcanic influences, including residuals from the 2010 eruption at Eyjafjallajökull (located above a tectonic plate boundary zone). High concentrations of Al and Fe were found at Kötlujökull and Kvíárjökull, both of which are close to active volcanic zones. Changes in hydrogeochemistry of the meltwater caused by volcanic activity may be used to forecast eruptions and jökulhlaups; however, given the variability of Icelandic meltwater chemistry, high-resolution monitoring should be done in order to determine a precursor threshold for an volcanic event, as the chemical composition of one jökulhlaup could be within normal range for a different glacier. TSS concentrations depicted high spatial and temporal variation as the highest and lowest values of TSS drained from the same glacier. Hydrogeochemical weathering is driven by Na-HCO3 and Ca-HCO3 dissolution. Concentrations of ions varied with respect to their geographic location, as specific conductivity increase distance downstream from glaciers, proglacial lagoons, and river reaches. Ca, Mg, K, Na, and HCO3 increased from 1984 to 2016 for Fjallsjökull, which may be from an increased weathering rate, due to temperature, CO2 increase, and increased erosion beneath glaciers under a changing climate. This study of hydrogeochemical variation in Icelandic glaciers complements the ... |
format |
Text |
author |
Tuladhar, Anisha |
author_facet |
Tuladhar, Anisha |
author_sort |
Tuladhar, Anisha |
title |
Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
title_short |
Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
title_full |
Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
title_fullStr |
Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
title_full_unstemmed |
Assessing Seasonal and Spatial Variability in the Hydrogeochemistry of Glacial Meltwater in Iceland |
title_sort |
assessing seasonal and spatial variability in the hydrogeochemistry of glacial meltwater in iceland |
publisher |
TopSCHOLAR® |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1960 https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2963&context=theses |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-19.174,-19.174,63.643,63.643) ENVELOPE(-16.823,-16.823,64.420,64.420) |
geographic |
Mýrdalsjökull Vatnajökull |
geographic_facet |
Mýrdalsjökull Vatnajökull |
genre |
Eyjafjallajökull glacier Iceland Mýrdalsjökull Vatnajökull |
genre_facet |
Eyjafjallajökull glacier Iceland Mýrdalsjökull Vatnajökull |
op_source |
Masters Theses & Specialist Projects |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/theses/1960 https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2963&context=theses |
_version_ |
1766405403000700928 |