An investigation into the response of the Langjökull ice cap to future climate change scenarios.

1. Introduction:

Understanding the sensitivity of the cryosphere is fundamental when determining the impacts of climate change, due to its dynamic nature whereby ice masses rapidly adjust to changes in climate: temperature and precipitation in particular (Vaughan et al., 2013). Through understanding responses of ice caps, such as Langjökull, to climatic variations, representations can be applied to other maritime ice caps and glaciers in regions around the world (Aoalgeirsdottir et al., 2006). The GRANTISM (Greenland and ANTarctic Ice Sheet Model) model, adapted from Pattyn (2006), has been used to predict the responses of Langjökull ice cap to the future RCP climate change scenarios.  Using temperature, surface elevation and velocity observations, comparisons are made with model outputs to assess the model’s validity and whether it is fit for its required purpose.

2. Study area overview:

Langjökull is an ice cap situated in west Iceland; this study focuses an outlet glacier’s response, on the southwest part of the ice cap, has to future climate change (Fig.1). Langjökull has an area of 900km² and volume of 190km³, covering a 50km-long mountain change (Björnsson and Pálsson, 2008). The ice cap is warm based and therefore dynamic in nature, responding sensitively to climate fluctuations overtime (Björnsson and Pálsson, 2008). Iceland receives a relatively mild and wet climate, with the Irminger ocean current limiting large seasonal fluctuations (Pálsson et al., 2012). Although latitude limits solar altitude, melting is primarily determined by net radiation (2/3) but also influenced by turbulent fluxes (1/3) (Einarsson, 1984; Björnsson and Pálsson, 2008).