Seminar by Dr. Martin Truffer (University of Alaska Fairbanks):
The demise of the largest temperate piedmont glacier
ABSTRACT: The Sit' Tlein (Malaspina Glacier), located on the coast of Alaska is an unusual place. Despite large regional glacier change, it still has a very low elevation lobe that extends across a coastal plane down to sea level. The glacier is fed from the tall coastal mountains with an accumulation area that reaches almost to 6000 m asl. Despite thinning rates of several meters per year, the glacier lobe has resisted extensive retreat so far. We show that this is partly due to a protective fringe of ice covered with debris that has been sufficiently stable to be covered by vegetation and a mature forest. However, the glacier is not in a stable state. We show that despite regular, approximately decadal, surges, the supply of ice is not sufficient to balance the melt. In addition, comprehensive radar measurements show that the glacier bed is located significantly below sea level. Models show that a combination of high surface melt and anticipated tidewater glacier retreat will eventually lead to the disappearance of this entire iconic lobe, even without further warming. This is one of the largest landscape changes anywhere in the US.
The talk is in Aud 1 in the Geology Building. It is also possible to follow at Zoom.
Video link to the lecture will be sent to the mailing lists alle@geo and geohyd-info@geo. If you want to subscribe to the geohyd-info@geo list send an email to Anita.
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About the seminar
This seminar is offered by the Section for Geography and Hydrology (GeoHyd), Dept. of Geosciences, University of Oslo. The seminars are announced as lunch seminars so bring your lunch if you want to
The seminars are open to everyone interested, and especially students are welcome.
The Lunch Seminar Team
– Yeliz and Thomas