Development of a subglacial lake monitored with radio-echo sounding: case study from the eastern Skaftá cauldron in the Vatnajökull ice cap, Iceland

Magnússon, Eyjólfur; Pálsson, Finnur; Guðmundsson, M. T.; Högnadóttir, Þórdís; Rossi, Cristian; Þorsteinsson, Þorsteinn; Ófeigsson, Benedíkt G.; Sturkell, Erik; Jøhannesson, Tómas

doi:10.5194/tc-15-3731-2021

Cited by 6 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…4a). The airborne system design stems from past radar surveys with an uncrewed-aerial vehicle (Briggs and others, 2020) and is adapted from the current IceRadar Variant 3, and the original IceRadar setup (Mingo and Flowers, 2010) used in other studies (Rabatel and others, 2018; Pelto and others, 2020; Magnússon and others, 2021). The radar was mounted on a slung platform, 30 m below the helicopter (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terminus change of Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon, under a warming climate: retreat, thinning, slowdown and modified proglacial lake geometry

et al. 2022

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Links between proglacial lakes and glacier dynamics are poorly understood but are necessary to predict how mountain glaciers will react to a warmer, wetter climate, where such lakes are expected to increase both in number and volume. Here, we examine a long-term (~120 year) record of terminus retreat, thinning and surface velocities from in-situ and remote sensing observations at the terminus of Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon, Canada, and determine the impact of a local proglacial hydrological reorganisation on glacier dynamics. After an initial deceleration during the late 1990s, terminus velocities increased at a rate of 3 m a−2 from 2000–12, while proglacial Slims Lake area increased simultaneously. The rapid drainage of the lake in May 2016 substantially altered the velocity profile, decreasing annual velocities by 48% within 3 km of the terminus between 2015 and 2021, at an average rate of ~ 12.5 m a−2. A key cause of the rapid drop in glacier motion was a reduction in flotation of the lower part of the glacier terminus after lake drainage. This has important implications for glacier dynamics and provides one of the first assessments of the impacts of a rapid proglacial lake drainage event on local terminus velocities.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Terminus change of Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon, under a warming climate: retreat, thinning, slowdown and modified proglacial lake geometry

et al. 2022

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“… (a) Image of eastern Skaftá cauldron in Vatnajökull ice cap, Iceland (Magnúusson et al., 2021). (b) MPM simulation of a glacier flowing over a concave step.…”

Section: Discusssionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transition Between Mechanical and Geometric Controls in Glacier Crevassing Processes

Rousseau,

Gaume,

Blatny

et al. 2024

Geophysical Research Letters

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Herein, fast fracture initiation in glacier ice is modeled using a Material Point Method and a simplified constitutive law describing tensile strain softening. Relying on a simple configuration where ice flows over a vertical step, crevasse patterns emerge and are consistent with previous observations reported in the literature. The model’s few parameters allows identification of a single dimensionless number controlling fracture spacing and depth. This scaling law delineates two regimes. In the first one, ice thickness does not play a role and only ice tensile strength controls the spacing, giving rise to numerous surface crevasses, as observed in crevasse fields. In this regime, scaling can recover classical values for ice tensile strength from macroscopic field observations. The second regime, governed by ice bending, produces large‐scale, deep fractures resembling serac falls or calving events.

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“…Locations in a distant area and topographical limitations are the primary obstacles that hinder the acquisition of measured data on most glaciers. Compared to the more labor-intensive and costly drilling method and resolution-limited seismic surveys and gravity measurements, GPR's high resolution and deployability make it the most easily promotable method for measuring ice thickness [72,73]. Advancements in airborne radar technology could open up possibilities for augmenting observational data in hard-to-reach areas [74].…”

Section: Comparison With Previous Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ice Thickness Measurement and Volume Modeling of Muztagh Ata Glacier No.16, Eastern Pamir

Yang,

Li,

Wang

et al. 2024

Remote Sensing

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As a heavily glaciated region, the Eastern Pamir plays a crucial role in regional water supply. However, considerable ambiguity surrounds the distribution of glacier ice thickness and the details of ice volume. Accurate data at the local scale are largely insufficient. In this study, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) was applied to assess the ice thickness at Muztagh Glacier No.16 (MG16) in Muztagh Ata, Eastern Pamir, for the first time, detailing findings from four distinct profiles, bridging the gap in regional measurements. We utilized a total of five different methods based on basic shear stress, surface velocity, and mass conservation, aimed at accurately delineating the ice volume and distribution for MG16. Verification was conducted using measured data, and an aggregated model outcome provided a unified view of ice distribution. The different models showed good agreement with the measurements, but there were differences in the unmeasured areas. The composite findings indicated the maximum ice thickness of MG16 stands at 115.87 ± 4.55 m, with an ice volume calculated at 0.27 ± 0.04 km3. This result is relatively low compared to the findings of other studies, which lies in the fact that the GPR measurements somewhat constrain the model. However, the model parameters remain the primary source of uncertainty. The results from this study can be used to enhance water resource assessments for future glacier change models.

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Development of a subglacial lake monitored with radio-echo sounding: case study from the eastern Skaftá cauldron in the Vatnajökull ice cap, Iceland

Cited by 6 publications

References 39 publications

Terminus change of Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon, under a warming climate: retreat, thinning, slowdown and modified proglacial lake geometry

Terminus change of Kaskawulsh Glacier, Yukon, under a warming climate: retreat, thinning, slowdown and modified proglacial lake geometry

Transition Between Mechanical and Geometric Controls in Glacier Crevassing Processes

Ice Thickness Measurement and Volume Modeling of Muztagh Ata Glacier No.16, Eastern Pamir

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