A Major Collapse of Kangerlussuaq Glacier's Ice Tongue Between 1932 and 1933 in East Greenland

Flor Vermassen*, Anders A. Bjørk, Marie Alexandrine Sicre, John M. Jaeger, David J. Wangner, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Marie Louise Siggaard-Andersen, Vincent Klein, Jeremie Mouginot, Kurt H. Kjær, Camilla S. Andresen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalLetterResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

In recent years, several large outlet glaciers in Greenland lost their floating ice tongue, yet little is known regarding their stability over a longer timescale. Here we compile historical documents to demonstrate a major ice tongue collapse of Kangerlussuaq Glacier between 1932 and 1933. This event resulted in a 9-km retreat, exceeding any of the glacier's recent major retreat events. Sediment cores from the fjord are used to reconstruct sea surface temperatures and to investigate a potential sedimentological trace of the collapse. During the 1920s, local and regional sea surface temperatures and air temperatures increased rapidly, suggesting a climatic trigger for the collapse. Fjord bathymetry played an important role too, as the (partially) pinned ice tongue retreated off a submarine moraine during the event. This historical analogue of a glacier tongue collapse emphasizes the fragility of remaining ice tongues in North Greenland within a warming climate.

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere2019GL085954
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume47
Issue number4
Number of pages9
ISSN0094-8276
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2020

Keywords

  • alkenones
  • Glacier retreat
  • historical documents
  • IRD
  • Kangerlussuaq Glacier

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