The British Geological Survey (BGS) has over the past few years undertaken a series of
observations related to glaciers in Iceland. In addition to monitoring volcanic
processes (such as those from the Eyjafjallajökull volcano that erupted from
under a glacier and severely disrupted European air traffic in 2010), BGS with
partners from Iceland and other UK universities have been monitoring glaciers
with respect to their stability in a changing climate regime.
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| Location of the BGS Glacial Observatory at Virkisjökull/ Falljökull in southeast Iceland |
In particular, this suite of glaciers located on the
south eastern extremity of Iceland may be susceptible to changes in temperature
related to sea water temperature and sea current regimes. This week the BGS
chief scientist, Professor Denis Peach, visited the observatory with BGS staff and discussed
further developments in monitoring. In particular, they propose to look at groundwater in a
suite of drill holes on the edge and toe of the glacier and listening to the
glacier's movements with seismic and acoustic arrays.
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| BGS Chief Scientist, Professor Denis Peach, visits the Iceland Glacier Observatory |
BGS with other earth science national laboratories across Europe
recently met to design a coordinated earth science infrastructure programme of
monitoring. It will build on the complementary nature of observing networks throughout Europe and will look at applying solid earth monitoring programmes (normally
used for volanoes, landslides and earthquakes) to environmental problems, focussing on glacial movement and structure and the stability of permafrost and the mass
balance in erosion processes.
The Iceland observatory is one node of a multi node
development across Europe and the globe.
