New Glacier Outburst Flood in IcelandJuly 09, 2002On July 9th researchers from Keele and Staffordshire Universities and the Icelandic Meteorological Office identified the source and drainage routes of a glacier outburst flood or 'jokulhlaup' which is currently draining from the western margin of Vatnajokull ice cap. The team are currently part of an Earthwatch funded project based at Skaftafell in southern Iceland. Earlier today Dr. Andy Russell, Dr. Matthew Roberts and Dr. Fiona Tweed flew across Vatnajokull ice cap to pin-point the souce of a glacier outburst flood currently draining from Tungaarjokull glacier on the western margin of the Vatnajokull ice cap. Observations made from 700 feet above the ice cap revealled a 1,5 km wide and 100 m deep depression (ice cauldron) in the glacier surface showing evidence of the rapid release of meltwater from under the glacier at this site. Strong geothermal and possibly volcanic activity under the glacier possibly formed the cauldron. Strong smelling (sulphurous) floodwaters are currently draining for 35 km underneath the ice exiting at Tungaarjokull glacier and subsequently draining into the Skafta river. Although at present there is little threat to life or property, UK and Icelandic Earthwatch project leaders have reported their findings to Icelandic colleagues in the event of the geothermal activity and outburst flood continuing. Earthwatch team members plan to make further flights today and tomorrow to establish whether the flood will continue. Glacier covered volcanoes in Iceland provide an ever-present threat of glacier outburst floods. The Earthwatch team are working on several recent outburst flood channels in Iceland, providing greater insight into jokulhlaup processes which will help in the management of future volcano-glacial hazards in Iceland and elsewhere. | |||||||||||||||||||||
Science Research Departments
Earth Science Alternative Energy | Anthropology and Archaeology | Earthquakes and Volcanoes | Environment and Nature News | Global Warming | High-Energy and Particle Physics | Ozone Hole | Scientists Slow Light | Tsunami Space Science Astronomy and Space News | Black Holes | Chandra X-Ray Observatory | Extrasolar Planets | Hubble Telescope | International Space Station | Jupiter Galileo Mission | Jupiter Cassini Mission Flyby | Mars Exploration | Mars Odyssey 2001 | Mars Global Surveyor | Mars Polar Lander | Mars Climate Orbiter | Mars Pathfinder | Meteors and Asteroids | Mir Space Station | NEAR Asteroid Probe Mission | Pluto Planet Debate | Search for Extraterrestrial Life | Space Shuttle Program | Space Shuttle Mission: STS-102 | Space Weather Life Science Animal News | Biotechnology and Genetics | Brain Research | Human Cloning | Dinosaur and Fossil Discoveries | Endangered Species | Gene Therapy | Genetically Modified Food | Stem Cell Research | Whales and Whaling |
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||