No description available.

The aims of this thesis are to refine the tephrochronology of the Öræfi district, SE Iceland and assess the Holocene glacier fluctuations of the Öræfajökull ice cap. The pattern and timing of glacier fluctuations are determined using glacial geomorphology and tephrochronology, and the implications for palaeoclimate are assessed. Iceland is important to the study of global and regional climatic change because it is located close to both the marine and atmospheric Polar Fronts widely regarded as the key factors in the climate of the North Atlantic region. Six outlet glaciers were studied: Svinafellsjökull, Virkisjökull, Kotárjökull and Kviárjökull originating from the Öræfajökull ice cap and Skaftafellsjökull and Morsárjökull originating from the Vatnajökull ice cap. A long history of glacier fluctuations were found with a similar temporal pattern of glacier oscillation between the outlets of Vatnajökull and Öræfajökull. A maximum of eight advances have been identified. The oldest advance is inferred to date from the maximum of the last Glaciation ca. 18000 yrs BP. The first advance in the Holocene occurred ca. 9700 BP during a still-stand of the last Termination. The onset of the Neoglaciation occurred between 6000 BP and 4600 BP with an expansion of all of the studied glaciers. Subsequent smaller advances have been dated to ca. 3200 BP, ca. 1800 BP, ca. 700 BP, ca. 200 BP and ca. 80 BP. The most significant movement of the Polar front during the Holocene is likely to have occurred around 5000 BP, and, as a consequence, an estimated temperature cooling of ca. 2.5°C took place in Iceland, perhaps the greatest cooling since the last Termination. Within the broad pattern of change, glaciers in the study area show variability which represents local precipitation patterns, contrasting topography and change in glacier process. In this thesis a total of 22 silicic tephra layers are identified from over 90 profiles in the study area. The majority of these layers are dated to the latter part of the Holocene. Three silicic tephras were deposited during historical time (post 900 AD) namely, Vö ca. 900AD,HI104 and Ö1362. The Vö ca. 900 AD and the H1104 tephras are located for the first time. Specific prehistoric (pre 900 AD) tephras identified include Hekla-Ö, Hekla-4 and Hekla-S. The tephrochronology of the Öræfi district is also used to assess the eruption history of the Öræfajökull stratovolcano during the Holocene. Prehistoric eruptions are dated to ca. 9200 BP, ca. 6500 BP(?), ca. 4700 BP, ca. 2800 BP and ca. 1500 BP. Jökulhlaups accompanied the eruptions of 1727 AD, 1362 AD and ca. 1500 BP and are likely to have followed older eruptions of the volcano. A strong relationship occurs between volcanic activity of the Öræfajökull stratovolcano and the pattern of glacier fluctuations. This is explained as a response to isostatic crustal adjustment during ice cap growth and decay, and indicates a general relationship between volcanic activity and climate change.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2008.

Eight glaciers, covering an area of 1.63 km2, reside on the northern and northeastern slopes of the Goat Rocks tallest peaks in the Cascades of central Washington. At least three glacial stands occurred downstream from these glaciers. Closest to modern glacier termini are Little Ice Age (LIA) moraines that were deposited between 1870 and 1899 AD, according to the lichenometric analysis. They are characterized by sharp, minimally eroded crests, little to no soil cover, and minimal vegetation cover. Glacier reconstructions indicate that LIA glaciers covered 8.29 km2, 76% more area than modern ice coverage. The average LIA equilibrium line altitude (ELA) of 1995 ± 70 m is ~150 m below the average modern ELA of 2149 ± 76 m. To satisfy climate conditions at the LIA ELA, the winter snow accumulation must have been 8 to 43 cm greater and mean summer temperatures 0.2 to 1.3 ºC cooler than they are now. Late Pleistocene to early Holocene (LPEH) aged moraines are located between 100 and 400 m below the LIA deposits. They have degraded moraine crests, few surface boulders, and considerable vegetation and soil cover. Volcanic ashes indicate LPEH moraines were deposited before 1480 AD while morphometric data suggest deposition during the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. The average LPEH ELA of 1904 ± 110 m is ~ 240 m and ~90 m below the modern and LIA ELAs, respectively. The climate change necessary to maintain a glacier with an ELA at that elevation for LPEH conditions requires the winter accumulation to increase by 47 to 48 cm weq and the mean summer temperature to cool by 1.4 to 1.5 ºC. Last glacial maximum (LGM) moraines are located more than 30 km downstream from modern glacial termini. They are characterized by hummocky topography, rounded moraine crests, complete vegetation cover, and well developed soil cover. Moraine morphometry, soil characteristics, and distance from modern glacial termini indicate that deposition occurred at least 15 ka BP during an expansive cooling event, the last being the LGM. The LGM ELA of 1230 m is ~920 m below the modern ELA. The climate change necessary to maintain a glacier with an ELA at that elevation for LGM conditions requires the mean summer temperature to cool by 5.6 ºC with no change in precipitation.

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / Lake cores from Dry Lake, California and Crystal Lake, Illinois were analyzed to identify climate variability and characterize landscape response to glacial/deglacial climate transitions. Geochemical analysis of the Dry Lake sediment prior to the 8.2 kyr event revealed average values for percent total organic carbon to be 4% with a range of 0.2% to 15.2%. The average decreased to approximately 2.1% with a range of 0.4% to 5.3% during and after the event. Occluded phosphorus averaged 488 µg/g before the 8.2 kyr event and 547 µg/g after but was much lower during the event at 287 µg/g. These results were interpreted as an environment which began as warm, wet, and productive then quickly turned colder and drier during the 8.2 kyr event which resulted in a resetting of soil development. The higher temperatures returned after the 8.2 kyr event which allowed for continued soil development despite its drier climate. Previous research corroborated these conclusions. The Crystal Lake geochemical record was very different from Dry Lake. Percent total organic carbon averaged 6.7% with a range of 3.9% to 8.5% during the Younger Dryas but recorded a lower average before and after at 4.9% and 4.6% respectively. Occluded phosphorus acted similarly with a higher average during the cooling event, 2626 µg/g, and lower averages before and after, 1404 µg/g and 1461 µg/g, respectively. This was interpreted as continued productivity and soil development through the cold period which was attributed to a change in biomass.