Drumlin Field in Iceland Gives New Insight into Glaciation and Climate
18.11.2010 - Land & Geology, Ice & Snow, Arctic
A recently discovered drumlin field near the Múlajökull Glacier in Iceland could lead to new insight in past glaciations and climate on Earth, according to a study conducted by researchers from the University of Gothenburg and published in the scientific journal Geology.
Drumlins are tear-shaped ridges found in areas once covered by ice sheets. There are many theories as to how drumlins are created. They are common in places where ice sheets once existed, yet virtually unknown in modern-day glaciers. Since they are formed underneath the ice, the formation of drumlins cannot be observed. This is why the drumlin field found just 2 km from the Múlajökull Glacier provide a unique opportunity to investigate their structure, as climate change provokes melt and faster movement of glaciers.
“A surging glacier can move 100 meters a day, as opposed to the more normal 100 meters a year, said Mark Johnson from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Gothenburg. “If we can link drumlins to fast-moving glaciers, this would mean that the ice sheet advanced much more quickly than scientists currently believe.”
Their research could have significant impacts on how scientists model climate change, especially regarding how the Earth came out of the last Ice Age. Glaciers that moved quickly enough to from drumlins would not have been very thick. Understanding how high and how cold a glacier was is important in understanding the last Ice Age.
