Contrasting dynamic behaviour of six lake-terminating glaciers draining the Vatnajökull Ice Cap and links to bedrock topography
Contrasting dynamic behaviour of six lake-terminating glaciers draining the Vatnajökull Ice Cap and links to bedrock topography
Over recent years, the rapid growth and development of proglacial lakes at the margin of many of Iceland’s outlet glaciers has resulted in heightened rates of mass loss and terminus retreat, yet the key processes forcing their dynamic behaviour remain uncertain, particularly at those glaciers which are underlain by overdeepened bedrock troughs. As such, we utilised satellite remote sensing to investigate the recent dynamic changes at five lake-terminating glaciers draining the Vatnajökull ice cap. Specifically, we quantified variations in surface velocity between ~ 2008–2020, alongside datasets of frontal retreat, proglacial lake growth, bedrock topography and ice surface elevation change to better understand their recent dynamics and how this may evolve in future. We observed contrasting dynamic behaviour between the five study glaciers, with three displaying a heightened dynamic response (Breiðamerkurjökull, Fjallsjökull, Skaftafellsjökull), which was likely driven by retreat down a reverse-sloping bed into deeper water and the onset of dynamic thinning. Conversely, one glacier re-advanced (Kvíárjökull), whilst the other remained relatively stable (Svínafellsjökull), despite the presence of overdeepened bedrock troughs under both these glaciers, highlighting the complex nature of those processes that are driving the dynamic behaviour of lake-terminating glaciers in this region. These findings may be important in helping understand the processes driving the dynamics of other lake-terminating glaciers in Iceland so that their future patterns of retreat and mass loss can be more accurately quantified
Glacier calving, Glacier dynamics, Glacier monitoring, Glacier retreat, Glacier velocity, Proglacial lakes, Remote sensing
696-717
Baurley, Nathaniel R.
d567850b-2030-4d33-8d1d-5fcad6e60417
Andrews, Amelia
2013a43c-bf6e-4125-8b98-84ecd75f19d7
Robson, Benjamin
ea6a160c-5678-4de6-be5b-4a9686891f12
Attia, Sherif
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Martinez, Kirk
5f711898-20fc-410e-a007-837d8c57cb18
Hart, Jane K.
e949a885-7b26-4544-9e15-32ba6f87e49a
1 April 2025
Baurley, Nathaniel R.
d567850b-2030-4d33-8d1d-5fcad6e60417
Andrews, Amelia
2013a43c-bf6e-4125-8b98-84ecd75f19d7
Robson, Benjamin
ea6a160c-5678-4de6-be5b-4a9686891f12
Attia, Sherif
3401ed42-eba7-4909-b017-93f7e2e14a09
Martinez, Kirk
5f711898-20fc-410e-a007-837d8c57cb18
Hart, Jane K.
e949a885-7b26-4544-9e15-32ba6f87e49a
Baurley, Nathaniel R., Andrews, Amelia, Robson, Benjamin, Attia, Sherif, Martinez, Kirk and Hart, Jane K.
(2025)
Contrasting dynamic behaviour of six lake-terminating glaciers draining the Vatnajökull Ice Cap and links to bedrock topography.
Remote Sensing in Earth System Science, 2025 (1), .
(doi:10.1007/s41976-025-00213-8).
Abstract
Over recent years, the rapid growth and development of proglacial lakes at the margin of many of Iceland’s outlet glaciers has resulted in heightened rates of mass loss and terminus retreat, yet the key processes forcing their dynamic behaviour remain uncertain, particularly at those glaciers which are underlain by overdeepened bedrock troughs. As such, we utilised satellite remote sensing to investigate the recent dynamic changes at five lake-terminating glaciers draining the Vatnajökull ice cap. Specifically, we quantified variations in surface velocity between ~ 2008–2020, alongside datasets of frontal retreat, proglacial lake growth, bedrock topography and ice surface elevation change to better understand their recent dynamics and how this may evolve in future. We observed contrasting dynamic behaviour between the five study glaciers, with three displaying a heightened dynamic response (Breiðamerkurjökull, Fjallsjökull, Skaftafellsjökull), which was likely driven by retreat down a reverse-sloping bed into deeper water and the onset of dynamic thinning. Conversely, one glacier re-advanced (Kvíárjökull), whilst the other remained relatively stable (Svínafellsjökull), despite the presence of overdeepened bedrock troughs under both these glaciers, highlighting the complex nature of those processes that are driving the dynamic behaviour of lake-terminating glaciers in this region. These findings may be important in helping understand the processes driving the dynamics of other lake-terminating glaciers in Iceland so that their future patterns of retreat and mass loss can be more accurately quantified
Text
s41976-025-00213-8
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Accepted/In Press date: 6 March 2025
Published date: 1 April 2025
Keywords:
Glacier calving, Glacier dynamics, Glacier monitoring, Glacier retreat, Glacier velocity, Proglacial lakes, Remote sensing
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 500161
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/500161
PURE UUID: 8a967b7c-ce71-48e5-878a-acd830ab5d60
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Date deposited: 22 Apr 2025 16:43
Last modified: 20 Sep 2025 02:20
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Contributors
Author:
Amelia Andrews
Author:
Benjamin Robson
Author:
Sherif Attia
Author:
Kirk Martinez
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