Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Glacial advance relative to volcanic activity since 1500 AD

  • Letter
  • Published:

From Nature

View current issue Submit your manuscript

Abstract

THERE may be a connection between the periodicity of glacial advance and the occurrence of volcanic eruptions. Lamb1 has presented a graph which shows a similar curve for Arctic sea ice off Iceland and great Icelandic volcanic eruptions since 870 AD and Bray2 found the number of maximum advances of alpine glaciers since 1680 AD is significantly related (χ2 = 7.8, P < 0.01) to intervals with a volcanic dust veil index of 1,000 or greater. The volcanic dust estimates have now been extended to 1500 AD (ref. 1) and in this paper I analyse the relationship between these estimates and records of maximum glacial advance from 1500 AD to the present.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lamb, H. H., Proc. R. Soc. Lond., A 266, 425 (1970).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Bray, J. R., Adv. Ecol. Res., 7, 177 (1971).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bray, J. R., Struik, G. J., Can. J. Botany, 41, 1245 (1963).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Viereck, L. A., in Arctic and Alpine Environments, (edit. by Wright, H. E., jun. and Olsen, W. H.) 189 (Indiana University Press, 1967).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Miller, C. D., Arctic Alpine Res., 1, 49 (1969).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ladurie, E. L. R., Times of Feast, Times of Famine (Allen and Unwin, London, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Ahlmann, H. W., Bowman Memorial Lecture (American Geographical Society, 1953).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hoel, A., and Werenskiold, W., Norsk Polarinst. Skr., 114, 291 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Porter, S. C., and Denton, G. M., Am. J. Sci., 265, 177 (1967).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Hubley, R. C., Am. Geophys. Un. Trans., 38, 68 (1957).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Manley, G., Proc. R. Soc., B 161, 363 (1965).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Andrews, J. T., and Webber, P., Geogrl. Bull., 22, 80 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Beschel, R. E., in Geology of the Arctic (edit. by Raasch, G. O.), 2, 1044 (University of Toronto Press, Toronto, 1961).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  14. Curry, R. R., Geol. Soc. Am. Spec. Pap., 123, 1 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Mayr, F., Z. Geomorph. (N. F.), 9, 257 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Mercer, J. H., Am. J. Sci., 269, 1 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Andrews, J. T., Buckley, J. T., and England, J. H., Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 81, 1123 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Bishop, W. W., and Dickson, J. H., Nature, 227, 480 (1970).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rutter, N. W., in Intern. Assoc. Quaternary Res. (edit Wright, H. W.) 7, 104 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. PO Box 494, Nelson, New Zealand

    J. R. BRAY

Authors
  1. J. R. BRAY
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

BRAY, J. Glacial advance relative to volcanic activity since 1500 AD. Nature 248, 42–43 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/248042a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/248042a0

  • Springer Nature Limited

This article is cited by

Search

Navigation