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Volcanoes and climate: the triggering of preboreal Jökulhlaups in Iceland

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Abstract

The Early Holocene (12–8.2 cal ka) deglaciation and pulsed warming was associated in Iceland with two major generations of jökulhlaups around the Vatna ice-cap (Vatnajökull), at ca 11.4–11.2 cal ka and ca 10.4–9.9 cal ka, and major tephra emissions from the Grímsvötn and Bárðarbunga subglacial volcanoes. The earliest flood events were recorded inland during the Middle Younger Dryas and their deposits were overlain by the Early Preboreal Vedde Ash (11.8 cal ka). The first Holocene flood events (ca 11.4–11.2 cal ka) are issued from a glacial advance. The second, and major, set of floods was partly driven by the Erdalen cold events and advances (10.1–9.7 10Be ka) initially issued from the Bárðarbunga (10.4, 10.1–9.9 ka) and Grímsvötn volcanoes (Saksunarvatn tephra complex, ca. 10.2–9.9 cal ka). These floods were also fed by the residual glacio-isostatic depressions below the Vatnajökull that enabled the storage of meltwaters in large subglacial lakes or aquifers until ca. 9.3 cal ka. This storage was enhanced by ice-damming and permafrost, especially during the twinned Erdalen events. Due to the glacio-isostatic rebound, the general slope was nearly flat, and the valley was partly filled with sediments until ca 10.8 cal ka. Temporary lacustrine deposits in this valley resulted from the very broad splay of waters as for the ca 11.2 cal ka and ca 10.1–9.9 cal ka flood, due to regional permafrost. These floods had a potential duration of several months as they were mostly fed by climate-driven meltwater. The maximal volume evacuated by these events did not greatly exceed 1 × 106 m3 s−1 from the flood-affected transverse profile of the valleys that remain partly filled with sediments.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the French Polar Institute Paul-Emile Victor (IPEV), Arctic Research Program number 316 (ICPROCI I, II and III), which covered the fieldwork in Iceland. We especially thank Kristjan Sæmundsson for providing the original dating for the Kraþla caldera and the Vatnajökull National Park to have allowed investigations and samplings in protected natural areas. We also thank the students Anne-Sophie Van Cauwenberge, Audrey Wayolle, and Guillaume Gosselin for their assistance during fieldwork in 2004, 2006, and 2008. We also gratefully thank a reviewer for all his positive comments and suggestion of improvements.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Géosciences Ocean, UMR 6538 Brest University, CNRS, ue@b, IUEM, Pl.N.Copernic, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Brigitte Van Vliet-Lanoë, Gilles Chazot, Céline Liorzou & Philippe Nonnotte

  2. Klettur Consulting Engineers, Bildshofda 12, 102, Reykjavik, Iceland

    Oskar Knudsen

  3. Jarðfræðistofan ehf, 200, Hafnarfjorður, Iceland

    Agust Guðmundsson

  4. CNRS-CEA, UMR 8212 LSCE, Domaines CNRS, Bât. 12, Av. de la terrasse, 91198, Gif/Yvette, France

    Hervé Guillou

  5. Microsonde de l’Ouest, Ifremer-Centre de BretagneTechnopole Brest Iroise, BP 70, 29280, Plouzané, France

    Jessica Langlade

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  1. Brigitte Van Vliet-Lanoë
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Correspondence to Brigitte Van Vliet-Lanoë.

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Van Vliet-Lanoë, B., Knudsen, O., Guðmundsson, A. et al. Volcanoes and climate: the triggering of preboreal Jökulhlaups in Iceland. Int J Earth Sci (Geol Rundsch) 109, 847–876 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00531-020-01833-9

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